Teach Me
by TweakerWolf
Summary: Kira is frustrated that her mother isn't teaching her much of anything about being a Kitsune and she goes to the loft, hoping Derek might have some answers. Instead, she finds Peter, and to her surprise, he's more than willing to help.
1. A Fox in Need

A/N: I'm borrowing heavily from the lore I made up for my series The Wolf so for those of you who have read through those stories (which I have not completed on here since they don't seem to be popular) you will see some repetition. For those of you who didn't read those stories (and by no means are you obligated to, I know they aren't for everyone) this will all be fresh and new for you =D

I'll state that a lot of my information is completely made up. I did do research into Kitsune lore although a lot of sites repeated the same things and didn't go into a lot of detail about the specifics for the different types. It was kinda frustrating for me because of the way my mind works, I NEED to have all the pieces to a puzzle and since the information I found online, didn't fill in all the pieces for how the lore works on the show... I filled in the blanks myself. I tried to tie the Tails into powers that Kitsune are recorded as having (like the illusions and dream manipulation, those were listed as abilities Kitsune had) but there just wasn't enough to explain how TW's versions would earn all 9 of their Tails. And since I like having ALL the pieces, I made Tails for all 13 types and not just 9 for Thunder since that's what Kira is. This first chapter is going to be filled with information since I'm going to share with you, all 9 Tails for all 13 types... The least I can do is fill you in with my guesses instead of leaving you hanging like TW XD I hope you all enjoy my version of things =D (in order to make sure the chapter doesn't completely DRAG on though, I'll include some more in depth explanations of some off the wall Tails, all of Kira's Tails, and then the rest will be included at the bottom, as if a copy of Kira's own notes, complete with her comments in (), but please, if you have any questions about the types of powers I have in mind, leave a review or send me a message and I'll be more than happy to talk with you about my ideas!)

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 _Background/Setting: Set after Season 3b but branches off where Season 4 starts, with all the Canon deaths except for Allison (so still set junior year for Scott etc). Kira gets frustrated because her mother isn't teaching her enough things about being a Kitsune. If she had been stronger… if her mother had actually taught her… maybe Allison wouldn't have gotten hurt. She goes into the loft, hoping that maybe Derek knows something about Kitsunes, if he could help her figure out her family. The Hales were once a big, respected family, surely he knows something…_

The door to the loft swung open, and Peter looked up from his book, surprised at the intrusion. The boys had lacrosse practice (which Allison and Lydia were watching), Malia was probably off in the woods trying to work on her shifting, so no one usually stopped by at this time. Hell, the only reason Peter was always here was because he knew it bothered his nephew. Plus he didn't want anyone to know where his apartment was. Stiles in particular was extremely nosy and Peter was a very private person, so he loitered around Derek's loft as much as he wanted. Derek had mentioned that he was going out for a run, which usually meant that he'd work himself into exhaustion out by their old ruin of a house. So this wasn't Derek coming home. All those thoughts registered in Peter's mind as the door was still sliding open, and then he saw young Kira step inside.

"Um, Derek, are you-" Kira cut herself off when she saw Peter sitting on the couch, one brow raised as he looked her over. "I'm sorry, I should have knocked… or texted, do you text? That's rude… I didn't mean to make it sound like you're old or something just that… I've never seen you texting anyone and…umm, anyways, please say something before I embarrass myself further."

"I do text yes, I just don't make it a habit to text the teenagers of Beacon Hills nonchalantly since well, I'm a formerly deceased Werewolf that's almost twice everyone's age. Derek isn't here, won't be for another few hours, but you're free to wait for him if you want. He just got some soda, and he'd hate that I offered you some, so please, help yourself," Peter said with a smirk. It irked his nephew that everyone just helped themselves to his food stores, like this was the Pack house or something.

Kira's face fell a bit, "Oh... a few hours? Mom would be totally suspicious if I was gone that long without pre-warning her I'd be watching practice or something. I'll… I'll just come back tomorrow or something. Crap, no I can't…"

"What's on your mind? Is it something I can help with? Derek isn't the only Hale here," Peter commented. It might be something she only wanted to talk to Derek about, but odds were, she just needed a Hale. All of Scott's friends depended on their knowledge, or Deaton's, to help them through the hard times. She probably only thought of Derek because he was a tad more approachable and not as distrusted as Peter.

"Oh, um, well yea, that's true I suppose. Can't hurt to ask, even if it is slightly embarrassing…" Kira stepped further into the loft, closing the door behind her. She stopped a few feet away from the couch, too shy and nervous to sit by Peter. "Do you know anything about Kitsune?"

"Yea, lots. I actually traveled overseas when I was young, Talia thought it would be good for me after our parents died and I had finished school. Really, she had an ulterior motive, she wanted me to learn things about other creatures, to expand our library. I didn't mind of course, I'm fascinated by all the different creatures in the world."

Kira brightened immediately, "Could you tell me what you know? Please? It would be a huge favor- I'd owe you big time!"

"Well, that's a broad topic, did you have anything specific in mind that you wanted to learn?" Peter only managed to hold in his smirk by sheer force of will, he wasn't the kind of Wolf that you wanted to owe favors to.

"Well, mostly… about my Tails… After the stuff with the Nogitsune… Mom told me that our Tails give us strength, they increase our power. If… If I had even one Tail, if I'd been even a little stronger… maybe Allison wouldn't have gotten hurt- she almost died… Maybe Aiden would still be alive."

Peter wrinkled his nose in distaste, caring for others was a waste of energy. But she was young, hopeful, he couldn't fault her for that. Besides not everyone had the same realistic outlook he did. "I know a lot about Kitsune Tails, what do you know about them?"

"Um… that we can get up to nine of them? That each one increases our power exponentially, and they take years to get, requiring someone to master one of the Kitsune powers in order to gain one," Kira mumbled, knowing that it wasn't much. She was in the dark about so much of her own species… he must think she was pathetic.

"Yes, nine is the correct number, although the number of years it takes depends solely on the Fox in question. Kitsune talents are hard to master but there are nine different powers to manifest and you could have a knack for 6 of them, earning 6 of your Tails relatively easily-"

"I'm probably going to be like 500 before I even get one…"

Peter frowned, "Well, if you keep shooting yourself down like that then yes, it's going to take a long time to earn a Tail. Do you even know what each of the Tails represents?"

Kira slumped her shoulders and closed her eyes, "No… At first I thought… my katana… since Mom is always training me but… I'm completely proficient with it now, I can totally keep up with Mom during our lessons. And still no Tail. Then I realized that there are like, way more than nine weapons in the world, so weapon training couldn't possibly be the key… I can also run like super fast, even Scott had to work really hard to catch me, but I know that I could have pushed even harder and been uncatchable. So that isn't a Tail either, just being able to tap into my speed and agility."

"Wow, your mother is an awful teacher…" Peter commented. Kira had to know that it wasn't her fault she was in the dark, it was Noshiko's, for not telling her. Hell, if they hadn't moved to Beacon Hills and awakened Kira's latent abilities, Peter was willing to bet she still wouldn't know. "Why hasn't she taught you about your heritage, your abilities?"

"I have no idea!" Kira sighed, finally dropping down onto the couch in shame. "It makes me feel so stupid… she's 900 years old and had all nine of her Tails… she's super powerful, or she was… and yet, she was keeping it all a secret from me. Even when we reforged this sword… she didn't tell me how to do it, it just kinda happened. I'm not even 100% sure what kind of Kitsune she is!"

"Well, what are your options?"

"I do know there are 13 types um, let's see… Thunder, obviously, Fire, Water…no, River and Ocean, Wind," Kira listed, counting off on her fingers. "Um, Mountain, Earth, _and_ Forest… that's 8. Void, another obvious one, nine…Celestial although I'm not sure what that means… Spirit, um, Time, and… oh the last one is weird… I always forget it because it isn't like the others… Um… Sound!"

"Very good," Peter nodded. "So, out of those 13 types, which might your mother be?"

"Obviously not Fire, or the water ones… not the earth ones… I want to say Spirit or maybe even Celestial since the Oni are Japanese demons but… I don't know if demon summoning is something all Kitsune can do?"

"No, it isn't, that is a type-specific ability. Celestial and Spirit are easy to confuse since we hear Celestial and we think Heavenly, also, spirits. Celestial Kitsunes lean more towards light as their element while Spirit Kitsunes are more like essence- spirits and energy," Peter explained.

"Wow… you do know a lot. I mean, I was able to find out some stuff out online, like you know, the Japanese history, but it was all the "not real" kinda stuff, not posted by someone that knows we actually exist, but the lore of us; I couldn't really find anything on the specific types either, all just general stuff. So I mean I don't really know what is true… Werewolf searches also bring up the whole, full moon transformation stuff and we all know that's fake."

Peter laughed, "Yea, anything on the internet has to be taken with a grain of salt. A lot of the lore has some truth to it though, since ages ago, we didn't have to hide like we do now. Especially in foreign countries where mythical beings are more widely accepted. So, the 13 types you found on the internet, all real; the being born a spirit fox and having to possess a Human to take Human form… not so real. Obviously you were born a Kitsune, your parents didn't have a baby and then offer her body up for a Thunder Kitsune to inhabit- if that were the case, you'd remember how to use all of your powers."

"Can you tell me exactly how this works then? You're right of course, I'm not a Human being possessed by a spirit. I did find stuff about that, how fox spirits had to wait for a hundred years before they could gain a Human form, or that they had to possess someone. But I mean… I do have a spirit inside me, which is different from you, right?"

"Yea, it is different. Centuries ago, there were some fox spirits that decided they wanted to live in peace with Humans. They approached different families and made pacts with them. Now Kitsune spirits are tied to familial lines, that each time a child is born with the right blood, there is a chance that a spirit will be born into their soul, tied together with the Human. So in a way, you are possessed, since the Fox inside you is a separate entity from you but that they have lived inside you, grown with you, that you are in balance and can use their powers without forfeiting your consciousness." Peter continued to explain, "Werewolves on the other hand, they are more like…" He paused, trying to think of an explanation that she would understand. He read comics as a younger boy though, he had an idea. "It's like the Hulk- how the other 'personality' was created by an accident but that after it was created it had a permanent place inside his body. A Werewolf can be born with this… extra persona inside them, or the seed can be spread through a bite. Obviously not actually seeds, technically speaking, it's more like a venom, one that forces this Wolf into creation. Because the Wolf comes from within though, that is why we don't have an aura, like you do."

"Wow… hearing it like that… Turning into a Werewolf doesn't really sound like a lot of fun. My Fox is pretty quiet inside me right now, always has been- like she? Yea, she, was sleeping or something. But your Wolf never sleeps, does it?"

"No, we are always wrestling for control, the Wolf is a very primal being, full of instinct and animalistic tendencies. Once you find control though, it's easy to keep the Wolf tame, held back. You're born with a more natural balance, something that is very hard to knock out of whack. But even a Born-Were can lose control at any time"

Kira looked up at Peter with awe, she'd never thought about what it might mean to be a Wolf. She had seen Scott's Beta shift, had seen them fight, but other than that… she just didn't think about it. Kira hadn't been in town very long but to her knowledge, she's never even seen Peter angry… even Scott has accidentally 'wolfed' out a few times. Peter only shifted when he wanted to, she'd never even seen his eyes flash but she knew they were blue. And if he knew this much about Kitsunes… "So, does this mean… you know, theoretically, how I could gain all nine of my Tails?" Kira asked shyly, biting her lip.

Peter looked her over for a minute, wondering just what he might get in return for helping her with this. Already he knew that Kira felt obligated to trade him a favor; Kitsune might be trickster spirits but they still recognized kindness done to them and looked upon some people favorably. By literally teaching her everything she might need to know about her Tails, her Fox would feel obligated to repay him in a really big way. Oh the possibilities! He smiled at her, making sure to keep his smile warm and not overly ecstatic (or as Stiles labels it, creepy), "Yes, actually I do. The only reason I did what Talia told me to do was because I personally found creature lore to be absolutely fascinating. Plus you never know when that knowledge might come in handy. I will admit, that I had to brush up on it when we found out you were a Kitsune."

"Y-you have it all written down? Why'd you look it all up again?"

"Well, I just wanted to brush up on my facts, especially when the Nogitsune became such an issue. It has been a few years since I'd last learned everything and with a family of Kitsune in town, when's a better time to brush up. Although, before you ask, I can't let you borrow the book we transcribed it all into."

"Why not?" Kira asked, deflating. She'd been hoping she could borrow it and just read, impress her mom with how quick she was learning.

"Because it's in our family vault and we don't really allow non-family members to know its location. I mean, I could just go get the book and let you read it here but…"

"But?"

"I'm just a very careful person, it's like our own version of the Bestiary, only we don't have a fancy digital copy. The transcribed book is the only copy we have, if anything happened to it… It would just be much easier if I taught you."

Kira had started to feel really hopeless… Surely Peter had taken very studious notes, the book was probably very detailed and would tell her so much. But since it was the only copy, of course he was hesitant to let anyone touch it... Peter had said that he knew a lot but even if he listed the ways to get her Tails… Kira would be lost without anyone to _show_ her… But then… teach her? "You'd… teach me? As in, not just tell me and then kick me out and let me figure it out on my own?"

"What?" Peter blinked, confused. "Why wouldn't I teach you?"

"I… my mom… Even with stuff like homework, she'd go over the basics with me, like the notes, but wouldn't help me with any of the actual problems, telling me I needed to be able to function on my own. That's probably why she hasn't told me anymore than what's been necessary about my powers…" Kira was staring down at her hands as her fingers knotted together.

Impulsively, Peter reached out and cupped her chin, lifting her head. "Us Wolves believe in fully training all the younger pups in a Pack. You might not be a Wolf, but I'm not going to let you struggle with this alone, it's just not in our nature. I'd be a disgrace of a Wolf if I didn't do everything in my power to help you learn." Strangely enough, Peter did really feel like he wanted to teach her, like it might be a great way to ease the boredom. Obviously Peter hadn't cared about teaching Scott anything, or Derek, not unless they forced him, but Kira on the other hand... Interesting. Maybe it was just because Peter knew how it felt to not be able to count on those around you and he hated seeing her like this. After everything he did, teaching Derek about memory sharing, helping Stiles fight the merged twin Alphas in the hospital, killing the Darach when Deucalion hadn't finished the job… all of that and still, Derek's words echoed in his head- 'We don't like you, now shut up and help us.' Of course… they had every reason to distrust him, Peter understood that, but still, he worked hard to try and gain their trust back and still after all the help… Peter mentally shook himself and then noticed the way Kira was looking at him. There was still the matter of being owed that appealed to him.

Kira blushed as she looked into his eyes, never having been this close to the older Were before. Everyone told her that Peter was dangerous, scheming, mischievous… but if he was really that dangerous, why had the Pack let him hang around? Surely he can't be as bad as they said, otherwise he'd have been chased off- no amount of useful information was worth keeping a dangerous killer. He must be reformed or something. Still though, she couldn't help the shivers that ran down her spine as she looked at him- she better get used to his presence if they were going to be spending more time together. Now all she had to do was manage to not get lost in those blue eyes of his... "I… thank you! This means so much to me, really!"

"I'm more than happy to teach you. I just want to help my Pack after all," Peter said. A beat passed before he realized he was still holding her chin and he softly let go. "So when did you want to start?"

"Now?" she replied, hopeful.

"I figured as much," Peter chuckled, setting his book on the table. "So, let's just start with the list shall we? Then we can see which Tail you want to try for first. Some of these are going to be a lot harder than the others."

"Right, yea, I'll definitely want to pick an easy one."

"So, I'll start with a quick explanation of the powers in general. A Kitsune has two different categories of powers, elemental based and fundamental. Fundamental Tails are Tails that are basically the same for each Kitsune whereas elemental based Tails are something that only that specific type of Kitsune can learn to do. I'll start with the 6 fundamental Tails: healing, FoxFire, imbuing, summoning, illusions, and dream manipulation. Healing is an obvious Tail, since a part of our bodies, our spirit, is made up of something more than just Human, almost all supernatural beings have some sort of accelerated healing. FoxFire is obviously different for each Kitsune since it depends on your element, but it counts as a fundamental Tail because all Kitsune can create FoxFire. With me so far?"

"Yes, healing I'm thinking would be the easiest but I'll wait until you're done to finalize my answer. Next was… imbuing?"

"Yes, technically it's imbuing and summoning, but the fourth Tail I listed has to do with summoning as well so I just labeled it as imbuing. What it means is, you can fill your weapon with your element, your power, and use it as an extension of your powers and not just your physical body. And once a weapon is imbued, it becomes tied to you, you create a strong bond with it, and you can summon it to you." Peter paused, figuring that Kira had something to say; he wasn't wrong.

"What? That's… from how far away? And like… pull it across the room, like a magnet or…?"

"How far away depends on your strength. Obviously that distance will grow as you get stronger, more adept with the summoning and more in tune with the weapon. And no, not like a magnet, I'll explain that when we get to that actual Tail. Next is a different type of summoning- Kitsune can summon an animal minion. Because they are trickster spirits, they often enlisted in help with other creatures, creatures tied to their element of course, as a sort of kinship with the world around them. Of course, the animals you summon aren't real, they are manifestations."

"Like… the Nogitsune's flies? Were those his summon animals?"

"Yes, exactly. His flies were like small weapons, helpers, that possessed a small amount of his power, which is why he could use them to possess others. Personally I think spiders and cockroaches embody more of a "void" feel but eh, I didn't make the rules so Void Kitsune get flies-"

Kira interrupted, "Mine isn't an eel is it? Because… that's so totally lame, I'd only be able to use mine in water. Plus it's totally a cop out, the whole eels equal electricity thing. It's probably eels, lame…"

"No actually, not eels." Somehow, Peter managed to hold in a laugh at Kira's defeated face, but he couldn't hold back the soft smile when she glanced up at him, excited again.

"Not eels? There are other animals?"

"Yes, most of them are fish but there is an insect. Your summon animal is the Oriental hornet."

"Why?"

Now Peter had to chuckle, "Well because they generate electricity. No one really knows why but it's a fact that they do; they gather up solar energy and create electricity. Thunder Kitsune figured this out and bonded with them centuries ago, creating a kind of pact. Like the Nogitsune, you can summon hoards, or only a few if you choose, of hornets to carry out tasks for you. Since you're a Thunder Kitsune, each hornet would be able to produce a shock effect, thunder effect, stuff like that."

"Thunder effect?"

"We aren't there yet," Peter teased. "So, after summoning we have the illusions. What good is a trickster that can't even confuse their target? Most illusions are just copies of something in order to confuse an enemy, or trick an innocent passerby, but powerful Kitsune can create vast illusions, tricking multiple people into seeing the same thing, create whole scenes-"

"The battle in the snow…"

"Hmmm?"

"When we were at the school… Scott led us through a door and suddenly we were in a Japanese-esque garden, snow was everywhere. He summoned some Oni and had them fight us, but then Stiles realized that it was all fake, that the Nogitsune was just making us _think_ we had been transported somewhere."

"Yea, the Nogitsune was a very, very strong Void Kitsune, I'm not surprised he employed such tactics against you. Those experiences will help you though, so in a way, the Nogitsune has always taught you more than your mother has. I'm sure just the thought of that would upset her."

"Maybe, she probably hasn't even thought of that. She probably thinks I can't learn at all…"

"Then we'll just have to show her that you're stronger than she gives you credit for, right?"

Kira smiled at him, "Yea!" It was nice, having someone to just sit down with and talk to about her abilities- someone that had answers! She had never thought Peter would be so helpful, he always seemed so annoyed when the gang came over to the loft. But maybe that was because… they had killed him… surely things were awkward, and Stiles was very harsh with his "jokes" and whatnot. But since Peter didn't have any of that animosity with her, this was going very well!

"The final fundamental Tail is dream manipulation. Foxes love interfering with emotions, and dreams are a very easy way to rile someone up, or make them believe something, very similar to illusions. Dream manipulation is generally harder to learn though since it requires entering a person's subconscious- not an easy feat, believe me."

Kira felt another shiver, a small voice telling her that she should leave now before she agreed to something she wasn't prepared to fulfill. But she ignored it, told herself that Peter was reformed, not the same Wolf that had bitten Lydia a couple years ago.

The Wolf was surprised when Kira didn't make a comment; her heart had sped up just a bit but her face didn't change in the slightest. Surely this would have been the pivotal moment, the comment that made her realize she was in over her head. But she didn't try to make any excuses to leave, didn't suddenly seem overly nervous. All good signs, for him. "Next are the three elemental Tails you can achieve. There is some overlap between the elements but since it isn't something shared by _all_ elements, they count as separate ones."

"And you know the three elemental Tails for all 13 types, don't you?" Kira asked.

"Of course."

Kira smiled, "Cool, I'd be interested in learning about those too, just to see how they differ from my own."

"I'd be happy to oblige." It was interesting for Peter to have someone so intent on his words, to see past his actions (or perhaps not truly realizing the scope of them), and sit here with him, unafraid. "The first elemental Tail is split into two different groups, if I'm going to tell you all 13. Fire, Earth, Mountain, Forest, Celestial, Void, Ocean, and River Kitsune are able to achieve invisibility, but only in the presence of their respective elements. So a Fire Kitsune would need to be surrounded by fire in order to cloak themselves, bend the element around them, etc. Thunder, Spirit, Sound, and Wind instead, can achieve an intangible or incorporeal state since well, it's kind of hard to just disappear into electricity or sound. In this state, you can still be seen but you won't be solid since you will have completely bonded your physical body with your element."

"Wait," the Fox paused, doing a quick count. "That was only 12."

"Well, yea, Time Kitsune cannot do either of those things. Instead their first fundamental Tail would be teleportation. Because it requires one to bend space-time, Time Kitsune are the only ones who can achieve teleportation. A lot about Time Kitsune is different from the other types; their FoxFire is massively different, they deal in time skips. It's really weird, hard to explain and I'm not really sure the scope of it- is it only a few seconds or can the time skip be as long as they want? Does it go in reverse or only forward? I have no idea, but basically what they can do is focus on a person or object, snap their fingers to create FoxFire and their target goes through a time skip. "

"Time Kitsune sound scary…"

Peter frowned, "You just defeated a very power Void Kitsune, the only Kitsune that has its own name- Nogitsune, and the Time type scares you?"

"The Nogitsune was dark and evil yea, causing chaos and strife but… time manipulation? That's a very powerful skill and you can do so many things with that. I'd be afraid to wield that kind of power."

"Well then I guess it's lucky for you that you're a Thunder Kitsune, but… there is probably a Tail in there that you still would be hesitant to learn. We'll get to that in a second though-"

"Wait, can I…. um… write all this down? Like this is a lot of information, I had no idea our powers were so extensive. And I actually want to learn more about all the types, if you don't mind telling me of course."

Peter thought for a moment, "It's a bit strange for me to be sharing information like this but, considering you are actually a Kitsune, I guess it's fair that you know. As a collector of information, it's my job to make sure information doesn't fall into the wrong hands-"

"But Scott isn't bad… he's a True Alpha right? I thought that was like super rare… Couldn't you have told us about the Nogitsune sooner?"

"Scott isn't exactly the wrong hands, just inexperienced hands… If I'd told him too much about the Nogitsune's abilities, he might have freaked out. And besides, if I'm being honest, I didn't trust your mother. I sensed right away what you were, and considering your mother's basic scent I knew you got it from her." Peter clenched his hand that was hanging over the back of the couch- True Alpha, ha! Why was everyone here so brainwashed on that idea? So Scott ascended to an Alpha by sheer willpower, if he wasn't willing to kill to defend what was his, he was still weak! But, this wasn't the place for that, Kira didn't know any better and he didn't want to scare her off by going on a rant right now. He noticed that Kira had tilted her head, not following at all his previous statement and he hastened to explain. "What I mean to say is, Foxes, like skilled Wolves, can learn to mask their identity, hide the scents that alert others to our true selves. And your mother was masking her scent, hiding, but because she concealed her identity so well it made the scents she was giving off so bland. Even normal Humans have more robust scents, it easily marked her as a supernatural creature to me. As I was saying though I saw your mother, a very powerful Kitsune, although I didn't know at the time just how strong she was, acting very suspicious about everything. For all I knew, she brought the Nogitsune here and unleashed it. And since Scott had taken a shining to you and was including you in all of his plans, I felt like it would be a risk to share my knowledge."

"Oh… Yea, my mom was acting all suspicious about it, even I picked up on that. Okay, but I mean, now that you know we're on the right side, I can take notes?"

Peter nodded, "I won't begrudge you notes, since this is a lot of information to take in for a beginner. Let me recap for you then."

After Kira had taken a notebook out and a pen, Peter went over the list of fundamental Tails with her so she could write them down. He appreciated how she organized her information, the six fundamentals were at the top of the page and then she made separate bullet points for each of the 13 types with space to fill in their elemental specific information. It was much quicker than have to write down all nine Tails for each of the 13, especially when six of them kept repeating.

"Okay, I'm all caught up, I have the fundamental Tails up here, then the separate types further down. You mentioned how Time Kitsunes have time skips as their FoxFire… and I know mine is electricity, but are there any others that have kinda unique FoxFire, I want to make notes on that too."

Peter thought for a moment, "Well Celestial types create light, which by itself is only so effective, but when coupled with one of their other Tails, is pretty powerful. Sound Kitsune let out sound waves, which isn't surprising considering the type but it is different from the other elemental FoxFire. Spirit Kitsune emit a kind of… light wisp? It's hard to describe really, it's not a fog or mist, nothing like that, just vague orb shapes of shimmery light."

Kira thought for a second and then pulled out her phone, typing something. "Similar to this?" she asked, tilting her phone so he could see.

"I… yea, almost exactly like that. How…?"

"You don't… recognize that? It's from Harry Potter… it's called a Patronus- although I'm sure Spirit types don't actually form animals with theirs like in the books. "

"I regret to inform you that I haven't read or seen anything with the name Harry Potter in it," he told her dryly.

"Oh, well, um, yea… that's what Patronuses look like, kinda cool that it's similar to Spirit FoxFire!" Kira quickly made a note on her list and put her phone away. "Okay, let's start from the top then, I promise to hold in my questions until the end."

Peter smiled, noticing that she'd put Thunder at the top, since she of course was one, and then listed the other 12 below that. So, since he knew that Kira wasn't going to ask questions until the end, he just gave her Tail 'labels' to mark down on her paper. Then he slowly moved down the list, filling in the blanks for her, smirking as he watched her add a few notations here and there. Once they'd covered everything, Kira shook her hand out and looked over her list, awed.

"You're allowed to ask questions now, we finished the list," Peter nudged, chuckling a bit.

"I just… this is amazing! I had no… no idea! Um, so I understand the fundamental ones, you explained those ones just fine before. So, my first elemental Tail on the list- incorporeal-ness, you explained. I bond with my power and like, become one with electricity and it makes me… not solid."

"Correct."

"Next you said… Thunder effect? I don't understand… I know I'm called a Thunder type but I mean, obviously I'm more lightning than anything else…"

"Well yea, that's true but at the same time, you can create a thunder effect."

"But thunder is a sound… and I'm not a Sound Kitsune. I don't understand."

"What you can create is more of a shockwave than a sound wave honestly. Sound Kitsune release a wave of sound capable of messing with one's perceptions. What you can do is create a physical wave of energy that can knock people off their feet. Sound Kitsune do have something a little similar, the vibration emission you have on the list but that's more of moving the particles in an area due to ultra quiet sound waves. Don't worry too much about it, it gets kinda science-y so I'd rather not turn this into a totally boring lesson. Especially since neither of us are Sound Kitsune," Peter mentioned.

"True enough, so mine is more of a shockwave, a physical force, that's a bit different from typical electricity but then Fire Kitsune can also manipulate smoke on top of fire so, I mean sure. That one sounds kinda cool actually, now that you've explained it. But this third one? You said… Neural impulse control?"

"That… that's the one I think you might not like, not if you're morally upright like Scott. It does have a lot of implications, and not all of them are dark but, overall, it's still control. Neural impulses are controlled by bursts of electrical energy, the synapses you know?"

"I… I can control those…I can control people?!"

"Yes, you can manipulate the small sparks that control a person's body, make them physically do what you want. It shows the ultimate control, finesse, of your abilities," Peter told her. She was looking hesitant of course, it wasn't every day that you were told you had the chance to learn something so powerful. And of course, after fighting the Nogitsune and his possession ability, it probably sounded like a dark power to her. Peter, well of course Peter would have fun with it, but it wasn't like you had to make the person do something bad when you took control of them.

"We… I'll… I probably won't even be able to learn that kind of control for a really long time so we can put that one at the bottom of my list… Instead, let's focus on what I might be able to learn." Kira chewed on the end of her pen as she looked over the list of the Tails. That last one really scared her but, then again, looking over the list, it seemed like most types had one really powerful Tail.

Peter regarded her with surprise, she wasn't totally dismissing the Tail? Good, that was good; maybe she wasn't as naïve as Scott, more ambiguous like Stiles. Stiles was willing to dive into the morally grey area for his friends, Peter could admire that a lot more than someone that tried to be morally white his whole life.

"I think I should actually just learn more about my FoxFire, I feel like that would give me a huge advantage- I'd be a lot stronger with just that Tail. When… when can we…?" Kira was afraid to ask, almost like he'd tell her he was lying, just playing a joke. If her own mom didn't want to teach her, why would Peter, of all people in the Pack.

"When are you available? I assume you're busy tomorrow, you said something about it when you first came in."

"Yea, tomorrow Mom wants to do more weapons training… fun stuff. I don't think I'll be free until Saturday," she pouted; honestly she almost felt like crying! She was so close to learning and now she had to wait 4 days? And that was if Peter was available…

"Saturday works for me, I'll see you then, and we can work on FoxFire." Peter leaned forward and grabbed his book again.

She sat a moment, looking over her list again, and then realized she'd been dismissed. And it was late! Time to go, "Thanks again Peter, really, this is way cool of you to do this for me." She packed up her stuff and headed towards the door.

"Well, you can start thanking me by not telling Scott about this."

"Why not?" she asked, pausing at the open door. Was Peter tricking her somehow?

"Because he still doesn't trust me, no one here trusts me. If they found out that you're going to be my pupil, they'll insist on coming and they'll just get in the way. Training is going to be intense, it isn't anything like learning how to wield a weapon. I'd take these few days to prepare for what's to come, work on finding your spark- the thing that awakens your Fox. It will make the training easier."

"Oh, right, of course." They wouldn't approve of her spending time with him? Well, yea, he was older and had a very shady past but, it was just Peter… Derek's uncle. She understood that Peter hadn't really been himself when he'd first woken up from his coma and that he was bent on revenge. It was scary yea but… she couldn't fault him for literally losing his mind. But he seemed much better now, saner, that had to mean something. But Kira wasn't a child! She could spend time with whomever she wished- especially if that person was going to be training her. Peter was right, it would just be easier to not tell Scott and the others, she didn't need anyone trying to impede her learning! Kira hurried home and mumbled some sort of excuse to her parents about why she was late and hurried to her room. Once there, she looked over her notes again and tried to imagine what she could possible use to awaken her spark. Scott called his control his Anchor but… Kira didn't want to tie her Fox down like they did with their Wolves. She needed… a Release.

***NOTES***  
Fundamental Tails and Elemental Tails; Fundamental are ones all Kitsune can learn where Elemental are type specific (some Elemental powers overlap but is very type specific)

Fundamental:

Healing  
FoxFire (type specific but technically fundamental Tail)  
Weapon imbuing/summoning (not magnet based?)  
Animal/minion summoning (also type specific- I'm not eels!)  
Illusion creation  
Dream manipulation

Elemental:

 **Thunder** \- incorporeal-ness/intangibility; thunder effect (shockwave); neural impulse control; FF = electricity; minion = Oriental hornet  
 **Fire** \- Elemental invisibility; heat absorption/generation; smoke creation/manipulation; FF = fire; minion = salamander  
 **Earth** \- Elemental invisibility; quake/tremor creation; granulation (?); FF = dirt/sand; minion = mole  
 **Mountain** \- Elemental invisibility; geo-kinesis; erosion manipulation; FF = crystals (what?!); minion = deer  
 **Forest** \- Elemental invisibility; spore creation; plant transmutation (so many questions…); FF = vegetation; minion = squirrel  
 **River** \- Elemental invisibility; aquatic adaptation (breathing _and_ seeing?); purification (?); FF = water (fresh); minion = otter  
 **Ocean** \- Elemental invisibility; aquatic adaptation; tidal manipulation (whoa!); FF = water (ocean); minion = seal  
 **Wind** \- incorporeal-ness/intangibility; mist creation/manipulation; atmospheric pressure control; FF = wind; minion = kestrel  
 **Celestial** \- Elemental invisibility; light solidification; essence reading; FF = light; minion = firefly  
 **Spirit** \- incorporeal-ness/intangibility; astral projection (no way Mom…); spirit summoning; FF = wisps (Patronuses); minion = butterfly  
 **Void** \- Elemental invisibility; possession; chaos manipulation; FF = shadows; minion = fly  
 **Sound** \- incorporeal-ness/intangibility; vibration generation; absorption/nullification of sound; FF = sound waves; minion = bat  
 **Time** \- teleportation; time negation; time creation/absorption (aging stuffs); FF = time skips (crazy!); minion = tortoise

* * *

Because this is going to be sliding around the events of the Beserkers and Benefactor, and also the Dread Doctors, Kira probably won't be losing control of her powers like in Season 5a (which the Dread Doctors messed with anyways, amping up her Fox and messing with that balance). With some of this I've literally just kinda fumbled along, trying to find ways to explain it that fit with Canon but also with how I want to write the Wolves, I hope it's all making sense... if not, just kinda ignore the lore you don't understand... It's just heavy in this chapter to set the scene of just how knowledgeable Peter is and that Kira (like in the show, when it came to all the Bardo research and stuff) can get excited about learning new things.

Because I just found it weird that the Nogitsune's "FoxFire" was the flies…. But that the flies are a Canon element of the show, I had to include them somehow. My answer to this was to create a Tail using a summon creature. Technically, I know that in the show, fireflies acted as the 'soul' for the Oni, and that firefly should act as the minion for Spirit Kitsune but the firefly just makes more sense for the Celestial type since they are light related. Then I picked butterfly for Spirit because… basically, I'm a fan of Bleach hahaha


	2. Kira's First Tail!

A/N: Kira is a typical teenage girl, she gets flustered and unsure, she's impulsive where Peter is calculating. There is a pretty big age difference between them and I want to make that evident because it will play into their relationship. Normally I would frown on such a relationship, since Kira is so young and Peter is Peter but I just like the idea of these two... plus I'm not making Peter nearly as creepy as I could, he's aware of his actions and teases but knows there are lines. We're in both of their heads a lot throughout this whole thing, seeing just how complicated their feelings are (and will be) for each other.

Also, more of a solid timeline for this, since season 3b ended around November/December, all of this takes place maybe late January or early February. That gives Allison about 2 months to have recovered from the sword in her stomach and for Stiles to be a little less... traumatized (just a bit less). Just an fyi since I wasn't really clear in my first chapter.

Also, I'm changing up Canon Kitsune lore again XD Regarding both Kira's aura and her physical Tail because yay fanfiction- I do what I want!

* * *

*Saturday*

Kira was pacing in her room, wondering if she was just supposed to head to the loft? But what if Derek was there… Peter had only mentioned keeping it a secret from Scott but surely Derek and the rest of Pack were including in the warning. Maybe she could… no, she didn't have his number… why hadn't she remembered to ask for it? He had told her that he does text. Then her phone dinged.

 _Head out into the woods by the lacrosse field, we'll train there. Don't keep me waiting too long- PH_

Kira quickly glanced at her phone and then did a little dance- he was ready for her! Well, that totally worked then… How he had gotten her number, she wasn't sure but now she knew where to meet him. Obviously Peter was far more prepared than she was for this- how did she get so lucky? Kira was just so excited to be learning about all this that she hadn't thought ahead for anything of the prep work. Today had taken forever to get here and she'd set her alarm for like 6 this morning just so she'd be ready whenever she got word. It had been weird, Wednesday at school, trying to tone down her excitement, since no one was supposed to know about what they were doing. She managed to convince everyone that she was just excited to be learning about a new weapon today, instead of her katana like always- it wasn't a lie, she was going to begin practicing with some nunchaku that afternoon. They seemed to believe her. But now it was finally Saturday and she was all set to go.

Her parents were both at the store, in her mom's car, so that meant she could borrow her dad's. She scribbled a note about meeting up with the gang and taped it to the fridge, grabbing the keys and flying out of the house. She barely managed to keep the car under the speed limit- she didn't need to get a ticket on the way to the high school. Luckily, there were some cars in the parking lot, probably teachers going over assignments and stuff, plus the Saturday school kids, so her dad's car wouldn't look out of place at all. Kira even parked it in his usual teacher's spot, just to cover all her bases. And then she sprinted out past the lacrosse field and into the woods. She pulled out her phone, texting Peter back.

 _Where are you? I'm here_

 _Well, come find me- PH_

Oh, she had to find him? Her hearing wasn't as sharp as Scott's, not usually; she had to really concentrate to pick up extra conversations and stuff. And her sense of smell wasn't that great at all… was that something that she'd get better at over time? Maybe as she learned more about her Fox, she'd be able to borrow her senses like Scott could with his hearing and stuff. That would be pretty awesome! But… right, time to actually find Peter… Kira bit her lip and spun in a slow circle, as if she'd find signs of his passage or something, broken twigs, footsteps. Right, she wasn't a girl scout, she didn't know how to track animals! So how was she going to do this?

"Concentrate!" Kira chided herself aloud, scowling. Her Release, that was what she needed; if she woke up the Fox, she'd be able to hear better and then she could pick up on Peter's heartbeat. Slowly, Kira calmed her excited mind, focusing on the Release she'd found for herself. It was the elated feeling she'd get when imagining the look of complete shock on her mother's face, as Kira presented her with her first Tail. Just focus on the Release, let her power wake up... There was a tingling sensation that started in her fingers and hands, then it spread up her arms and got stronger, until she felt like even her teeth were vibrating with energy! Now that the Fox was awake within her, Kira closed her eyes and listened. The small chittering of the birds grew louder, the scrapes of squirrels jumping branch to branch now reached her ears as well as sounds from various insects. Kira sorted through all of it until she heard the steady sound of a heartbeat, one her Fox immediately identified as 'Wolf'. Kira navigated through the woods, getting frustrated that she'd have to stop every few yards to concentrate again; it was too much for her to walk and listen apparently… Wow she was really bad at this… But she kept at it, heading towards the sound until finally, she found Peter perched atop a good sized rock.

"You've made it, and faster than I thought," he commented, staying put.

"I… faster?"

"Well yea, you mentioned that you practically knew nothing about being a Kitsune so I gave you a large window of time. Maybe it felt slow to you but considering you've never tracked someone by sound before, you kept a steady pace."

Kira smiled and then frowned, "What would have happened if I was late? Would you have left because I failed so badly?"

"No, I wouldn't be mean and just abandon you. I just would have come to you instead, tired of waiting. This isn't a 'pass or fail' kind of teaching- as long as you're trying, you'll get stronger."

"Oh, okay," she sighed, absolutely relieved. She wasn't really sure she could operate under that kind of pressure, if in the future she didn't meet his standards and he just gave up on her. What he just explained though, she could work with that. "It was harder than I thought… I totally can't walk and listen at the same time… all the noise from my own footsteps interferes and my hearing just turns down on its own. But! I totally found my Release! That's the only reason I was able to come find you at all!"

"Release?"

She blushed a bit, realizing she'd named it herself, like a total geek. "You guys all have Anchors, something that keeps you grounded. But for me, you said I needed to wake up my Fox and my powers- calling it an Anchor didn't feel right so… I came up with a Release instead."

Peter chuckled, she was absolutely excited for this, just brimming with energy. With this kind of energy, he'd get her the Tails in no time; then he just had the small worry of how she'd be paying him back. But, the Wolf had plenty of time for that later. "That's a good a name as anything else. So, you still want to work on your FoxFire?"

"Yea, I think that would be a good place to start, since I can do a lot with electricity, once I master creating it, I can learn how to wield it."

"Smart thinking. Alright, so, you have your Release, your powers are awakened. Go ahead and create some FoxFire for me."

"Umm…"

"I'm just teasing, I'm a better teacher than that!" he laughed, dropping down from his perch. He walked up to Kira, stood behind her and smirked to himself as she tensed ever so slightly. "What you're going to want to do," he told her, as he gently grabbed her hand and lifted it so it was pointing out in front of her. "Is focus all that brimming energy you have, into the palm of your hand. Once it's there, just let it out, and some electricity should be created."

Kira felt her heart pounding, knew that Peter could hear it but his voice remained even and calm; this… this is what it was like around a man? He didn't get flustered, didn't tease, and didn't get distracted. Peter was totally focused on the lesson and here she was, the one distracted by him. Any time Scott had gotten this close to her, he'd give her a look, lick his lips. There was just always this tension between them, but it seemed like Peter wasn't affected. From here, she could feel Peter's chest pressing against her shoulders, hell he could probably rest his chin on her head he was that much taller than her. Had she always had a thing for height differences? Sure, Scott was taller than her a bit... but this... this felt...

"Kira, are you channeling?"

"Huh- w-what? Oh, yea, I am," Kira stammered out, flushing in embarrassment. Channeling, right, FoxFire. She cleared her throat and tried to push all her tingly energy towards her palm but didn't get anywhere. It just pulsed over her whole body, unruly, it wouldn't go where she wanted. "I… I don't know how…" she confessed after a few minutes.

"Hmm, alright, I have an idea then," Peter offered. Secretly he was excited about this turn of events; Kira was so full of hormones that she couldn't focus with him so close. Wow, no wonder it had been easy for Kate, teenage boys were arguably even worse. He wanted to teach her, truly he did, and he wasn't going to toy with her like Kate had with Derek- destroy her family, but… that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun. "Can I touch you?"

"What?! I um… well… what do you mean exactly? You kinda already are?" Kira's heart skipped as she processed his question and his proximity.

"I'm going to help you focus, but you have to say it's okay for me to touch you," he said.

Wow that was vague, but Kira just knew he didn't mean in _that_ way. "S-sure, yea, if you think it will help."

"Alright, let's start here, focus on this spot right here," Peter told her, pressing a fingertip against her skin, right above the low collar of her shirt. He was still behind her, other hand casually on her waist, "Nod when you're ready."

Kira closed her eyes, knowing it would help her focus. Slowly, and with a lot of effort, Kira managed to pool her energy around the area in her chest, where she felt the pressure of his finger. She nodded.

"Okay, now, just follow my finger."

Ever so slowly, Peter dragged his finger across her skin, up towards her shoulder; he paused there, waiting for her to nod again when she'd managed to shift her energy to the new spot. Then he moved down her arm, around the back of her hand, and pressed it against her palm, most of his larger hand wrapped around hers now.

"Okay, you might want to move," Kira whispered, not wanting to break her concentration. When she felt the heat of Peter's hand disappear, Kira opened her eyes and pushed her energy out from her body, giving it a tangible form. A very small jolt shot out and dissipated into the air and her arm dropped in surprise. "I did it, like… on my own! It wasn't Mom using her own influence to push my powers out."

"Is that how she helped you… or _made_ you reforge the katana earlier last year?"

"Yea, when she held my hand over the sword, it felt… weird, like my powers were being pulled from me instead of me letting it out. But this time, it was all me! Well I mean, you totally helped, that wasn't what I was trying to imply, that I did it alone or anything but-"

"It's okay, I know what you meant," Peter soothed, holding back laughter at how much she rambled whenever she thought she'd said something wrong. "So, you have the general idea now but you are still very far from your Tail."

"Really? How good do I have to be to actually… like earn my Tail- how will I know?"

Peter shrugged, "According to all the Kitsunes I've talked to… you'll just know. And that your first Tail is… special. It isn't something that just materializes out of nowhere, you make it."

"I make it?"

"Yea I can't… I don't want to give anything away because it's something that you do have to piece together on your own. But, I'll help you once we get to that point, I promise."

Kira smiled, happy that he was willing to just stick around and help her with all of this. "So… can I try again, only this time…" She turned to look at him and found her face dangerously close to Peter's "Th-this time, can we try you just holding my hand- I mean um… touching my palm!"

"Sure, that seems like a good second try," Peter said, voice soft. He stepped away from her, politely ignoring the soft whimper of protest; now he stood at her side, one hand touching her palm and one cupping the back of her neck. "Just let me know when to move, I'd rather not take a dose of Kitsune energy this early in the morning."

"Yea, of course," she laughed. Okay, she could do this, even better than before. As long as she did _not_ think about how embarrassing she was acting; God that whimper had actually happened! Really, she needed to get herself under control and focus on her powers! But Peter had just felt so warm and having him close... It took a little longer to shift her energy to the palm of her hand since she didn't have the physical trail leading her (it was totally the lack of trail, not because she was thinking about Peter) but, with the pressure on her hand it helped a lot. With a small nod, she warned Peter that she was ready. This time though, instead of just blindly forcing the power out, Kira focused on an image of lightning. She willed it into creation instead of forcing it. When jolts of electricity finally did form at her finger tips, they pulsed around her fingers, bright and strong instead of fading. "Wow…"

"You're getting the hang of it," Peter cheered, hand on her neck squeezing in reassurance.

Kira focused on keeping a steady stream of power flowing into her hand and she brought up her second hand. Maybe… maybe she could make it arc from one hand to the other! But the second she tried to split the focus between her two hands, the jolts on her right hand diminished in size and quantity. "Awww…"

"What?"

"I was trying…" Kira stopped talking, since that was making them fade even more. But the moment was broken and her energy stopped flowing. "Dammit! I was trying to… to make it arc, from one hand to the other but the moment I tried to split my energy I started losing it. And trying to talk? Yea, I apparently can't multitask at all. I fail so bad…"

Peter tsked at her, "I have a long way to go with you, don't I?"

"Wh-what?"

"Your confidence level is so low. Our powers, all of our supernatural powers, are tied to our confidence. If I ever doubt my control, if I feel like I can't keep my Wolf contained, I will lose control. It's all a mental game. You have to believe that you're badass and powerful, capable! Are you capable?"

"I, um… I…"

"Yes! You are! Say it, mean it!"

Kira nodded, "I'm capable!"

"Do you want to earn your Tails!"

"Yes!"

"Do you deserve your Tails?"

"Of course! I'm a Kitsune!"

"Then don't stop until you can built up enough power to destroy that boulder I was sitting on!"

She paused and looked at the rock, could she?

"Don't question yourself Kira! Just do!"

Kira started to step towards the boulder but Peter's hand on the back of her neck tightened, "No, from here."

"I can't shot my lightning that far!" she cried out.

"Then we're going to be here all day. If you aren't going to try, then I have nothing to teach you." Maybe she needed just a bit of tough love to push her into action; after all Peter didn't have time for stubborn and unsure children. He understood that Kira was uncertain but if she couldn't overcome that… he wasn't sure he could teach her, he wasn't overly patient when it came to stuff like this.

Kira grit her teeth and clenched her hands, "I won't give up! I can do it!" Peter was taking the time to teach her, was risking everything by being here alone with her. If the Pack found out, they would be furious with him, accuse him of something. The least she could do was actually listen and do as he said. Kira wasn't a child anymore, she was strong and she wanted to get stronger! As she got all worked up, she felt her power increase; there was enough now that she was able to pool it in both hands. Slowly she lifted them, open palms facing the rock, then she pushed. A few arcs joined between her hands and then jumped towards the boulder but nothing awesome happened.

"Again!"

Another push, another jolt jumping to the boulder, but nothing exceptional.

"Again!"

This continued for an hour until Kira collapsed, dropping to her knees and panting. Why was she so drained? Her body was quaking from exhaustion, muscles like jelly and unable to support her; she was covered in sweat and gross. And she hadn't even moved the entire time.

"Are you done?" Peter asked, standing in front of her with his arms crossed.

"N-no… of course not I just… I'm tired. I need a second."

"You've never trained like this, you deserve a break," Peter told her. He could push her harder but this was only their first session and he didn't want her to run away. If he pushed too hard, Kira might balk at his methods and become afraid. But she wasn't willing to call it a day yet either, she was showing more initiative than Scott ever did. Good thing he'd brought some snacks and water. "Here."

Kira looked up and saw that he was holding out a bottle of water and a granola bar, "Thanks, I hadn't even thought to bring anything…" Peter sure was prepared, he must have been a great teacher back before the fire. And he had even cracked the bottle top for her, seeing how exhausted she was; she drank half the bottle in one go, gasping for air afterwards. "Will I even be able to do this today? Like, honest opinion, how long do you think it's going to take?"

"You are doing great, Kira I don't think you realize how much power you have. Up until a few months ago, you didn't even know you were a Kitsune. And now, you're shooting electricity from your hands."

"But it didn't take Scott this long to learn about his powers…"

"Scott's a Wolf, it's very different. It doesn't take much to tap into strength and hearing- even you were able to awaken your agility easily. Producing FoxFire, that's hard. Even awakening something like your healing will take a moment because it's been dormant inside your body all these years. Ours are awakened all at once and are always awake. It's the same with the aura hiding, I think it's easier for Wolves to learn that than Foxes since we're more of a 'one' with our Wolf while you and your Fox are more 'two' make sense? Our Wolf is a separate consciousness from our own, but it still comes from within versus how I told you that yours came from outside. The Fox has been protecting your body, how you never, ever get sick, but other than in small ways like that, she's been asleep. On your second try, even though you needed my help, you were able to produce real FoxFire, on your own terms."

"I suppose, yea that makes sense although that's not really fair… You… you aren't lying right? I mean… I'm really doing good?" Kira asked.

"No I'm not lying, lying to you wouldn't help you achieve anything and would make me a horrible teacher. If you were doing badly and needed to work harder, I'd push you harder, not give you false hope that you're doing well. You're like a child that is walking well before their first birthday- it's not unheard of, but not everyone can do that either. You might feel like you aren't making a lot of progress but, if you keep your spirits up, I think you might actually get your Tail sometime today." And Peter wasn't lying, she was truly progressing very fast. For someone that had a hard time understanding her powers, who only had a few days to process the entire list of Tails she could earn, Kira was learning fast. She'd even managed to find a Release for herself, something that would jump start her spark- without asking him for any kind of help.

"I'm ready to try again," Kira stated, quickly eating the granola bar and standing again. If Peter was telling her that she was working hard, she didn't want to let him down by taking a long break. She'd keep at it until she had nothing left!

"Easy, we still have plenty of time today," Peter told her, stepping forward and steadying the girl as she wavered.

"No, I have the energy inside me but… just keep me balanced? My legs are still a little shaky is all."

"Alright, we'll try but don't push yourself too hard, okay? It's fine if you need to rest a few more minutes," he assured her. He stepped behind her and pulled her against his chest, one arm wrapping around her stomach, other hand resting on her shoulder. "Why don't we try something a little different first, just something to strengthen the FoxFire you can create."

"You're the teacher, I'll do what you say," Kira promised, body warming from his touch.

Peter decided to ignore those words and their implication for now, "So, I want you to call forth the current again, let it cover your hand. But then instead of shooting it out, rein it in, so it's only jumping from one finger. Just practice going back and forth like that."

"So have it cover my hand, then just a finger, then my whole hand again?"

"Yes, exactly. That will help you create control, help you learn how to meld it to your needs. Let's just try that for a few minutes first."

"Okay." Kira let her body rest against Peter's solid chest, knowing that he wouldn't let her fall, so she could focus solely on her powers right now. Getting her whole hand lit up again wasn't hard at all, but then reining it in without completely losing it was a lot harder. It wavered and sputtered but didn't die out completely and in a minute or two, she had it jumping out of only her pointer finger. Then Kira opened the floodgates again, letting it envelop her hand once more. "The dimming it is hard of course but… I understand what you're trying to teach me. This is helping me to learn how to strengthen my flow and concentrate it."

"Well you must be getting better, you're able to talk now," Peter joked, thumb rubbing her shoulder a bit.

"Yea, if I keep it short." For the next few minutes, Kira just let the current fluctuate until she felt absolutely comfortable with it. She could even have it jump seamless to her other hand and flow there instead, definitely an easier place to start instead of just blowing up a rock. Then she was able to move it from finger to finger, first letting it arc out of her thumb, then her ring finger, her pinky and back to her thumb. This was what he meant by control and it was fascinating. At first she wondered why they hadn't started with this easier method of control but then she realized the hard start was smart on Peter's end; it had forced her to really wake up her spark and wear it out, get a feel for it before starting in on the intricate work. No way would she have been able to do something like this right off the bat. Once she had intricate down, they could go back to raw power.

"Alright, I'm going to step back and I want you to just, unleash all of your power, let it travel over your body. This will help you realize just how much energy you have at your disposal, your Fox is an endless well of current and electricity. Give your Fox control, just for a moment and let her express herself."

That sounded kind of scary, what if she lost control completely? Sure, she wasn't like a Werewolf, she wouldn't try to just tear Peter's throat out but… what if she couldn't rein it back in?

"Don't fear your Fox Kira, she's here to help you. Wolves are more primal, wild in our alternate persona, which ironically enough, isn't like real wolves at all. Your Fox is more like your real world counterpart than ours, you won't go on a rampage, you won't become animalistic. Just let her show you what she's capable of, trust her and she'll take care of you. Remember, you and her are in a balance together."

"Balance, right… trust." Kira could trust her Fox, she had no reason not to if she thought about it. After taking a deep breath, Kira reached out to her Fox, relaxing her body and offering over control, wishing to see more of her power, wishing to understand the extra part of her soul. Her skin started to tingle and she could feel tendrils of something dancing across her skin. When she opened her eyes, she saw that her body was lit up with arcs of lightning, every inch of her skin was covered in the moving energy. "Wow!" Kira didn't even have to focus on it, it was just happening!

Wow, this was absolutely breathtaking to see- a Kitsune fully coming into her powers. And with all the electricity in the air, the hairs on his arms were standing up, but even without it, Peter knew that he'd be in awe. Hanako, the Spirit Kitsune he'd gotten to know in Japan, had been stunning when she'd showed him her FoxFire, surrounding herself with it. But with Kira and her electricity, he didn't have words. The current was alive, covering Kira in a protective barrier and Peter noticed that it was forming a new aura around her. She was even more powerful than he'd thought, more powerful than she could ever comprehend, and she was trusting him to help her. The Wolf couldn't wait to see what else she'd be capable of in the future, but for now, it was time to finish the lesson. "Now, destroy that rock."

"Yea, okay," she agreed. Both of her hands lifted, pointing at the boulder; Kira took another deep breath and forced all this excited energy towards the tips of her fingers once again. This time it didn't diminish at all, it gathered and grew, sliding over her body to her hands, creating two huge orbs of alive current. Kira took a moment to just realize how beautiful it was before pushing it away from her body. When the lightning hit the rock, the sheer force blew the rock into pieces, one coming directly at her face. Quickly, without even thinking, Kira's hand snatched it out of the air while she was still staring at where the rock had been.

"You did it, congratulations!" Peter exclaimed, feeling a buzz of excitement himself.

"Awesome," Kira whispered and then collapsed, the Wolf catching her before she hit the ground.

"Easy, easy," he soothed, effortlessly tucking an arm under her knees so he could lift her. The poor girl was absolutely exhausted; awakening the Fox spirit wasn't easy work, and this was one of the simplest Tails to learn. Kira better get used to this feeling, things weren't going to get any easier from here. As he carried her all the way back to the parking lot, he noticed that the small piece of rock was still clutched in her hand- she'd done it! Now, she just had to realize what it was she was holding in her hand. But he couldn't spoil it for her, she needed to figure it out on her own, otherwise its power would be diminished. With luck that just seemed to always follow Peter, he got her into her car and climbed behind the wheel without anyone seeing them- if anyone saw an older man carrying an unconscious teen, they'd be on the phone with 911 faster than Peter could blink. But, Peter was nothing if not cunning and lucky, but luck was the reward when you saved a witch from a rabid Kanima- the cunning he was born with. Peter carefully drove her back to her house, smiling as his luck continued to hold, her parents still out as he heard no heartbeats in the house. The Wolf fished the house keys out of Kira's pocket and unlocked the door before going back and gathering the Kitsune in his arms. He slipped into the house and kicked the door shut before taking her up to her room.

"Mmhmmm," Kira mumbled nonsensically, shifting slightly as he put her on the bed.

"Just rest, you're home now." Double checking to make sure the rock fragment was still in her hand, he carefully placed it over her chest, keeping the raw Tail close to her heart. She was sure to question him about it later but it could wait until she was rested. He stood there a moment, blue eyes flashing as he looked her over- yes, it was different now. The Wolf hadn't thought to tell her about the change... she'd been so focused on her Tails more than any of the other lore. When he'd first seen her, Kira was surround by a simple, orange aura, a baby Fox that was trying to find herself. But when a Kitsune finally realized their power, their element, the aura shifted. Now Kira was surrounded by icy white Fox with sharp features, made of electricity. Even Fire Kitsunes had an aura change, although one could argue that the original aura looked very flame like. When theirs grew, it billowed and glowed even brighter with shimmering colors. To all those with special eyes, they could identify a Kitsune by their aura, as long as they let it show. Kira wasn't a baby Kitsune any longer and he felt proud knowing he'd sparked that change in her. But, it was time to go; Peter locked the front door and then slid her window open and hopped out, backtracking all the way to his car.

An hour later, when Kira finally rolled over and woke herself up, she was disoriented, surprised to find herself in her room. She'd gone to meet with Peter right? And they'd worked pretty hard to get her to create strong FoxFire… that hadn't just been a dream right? As she moved to sit up, Kira realized that she had something hard in her hand; blinking, she uncurled her fingers and stared at the rock fragment. "Well, it wasn't a dream, I remember exploding the rock. And unless I'm able to just produce physical objects straight outta dreams… that happened. But why am I…?" She trailed off, not remembering anything after catching the rock. No… she… she remembered strong arms catching her, a voice telling her to just rest. Peter? Had Peter brought her home? "The car!" she squealed, shooting off the bed and over to her window. But the car was right there in the driveway, and now her parents were just pulling up in the other car. Kira dived back onto her bed and stuffed the rock fragment into her pillow case and flipped the pillow over. Why was she hiding it? Eh, she didn't have time to think about it, instead she grabbed some clothes and jumped into the shower to give herself some extra time before facing her parents. They had no reason to suspect anything really, but Kira couldn't help the guilty feeling, so hopefully the shower would help. By the time she was dressed again, Kira felt ready to answer their questions… if they even had any?

"How was everyone?" Noshiko asked as her daughter came into the kitchen.

"Huh? Oh, Scott and them, right, I forgot I left you that note. Umm, they were good, mostly just glad for the weekend. Stiles is still…" Kira trailed off.

"It will be a long time before Stiles will feel comfortable in his own skin, it isn't easy being possessed by a Void Kitsune and being made to do awful things."

"No, I can't imagine so…" Kira agreed, frowning. Poor Stiles… But it was thanks to Peter that they'd even managed to save him, with that Alpha memory trick he showed Scott. Hadn't Peter proved himself enough for the Pack to forgive him yet? Wait, they were talking about Stiles. "But he's strong, I know he'll be okay… eventually. And Allison is finally feeling better although she still has to be careful with what she eats… Having no gall bladder really changes your diet."

"She's lucky that's all she lost," Mr. Yukimura commented. It was dangerous for people to get involved in the supernatural, even people like Hunters. That was why he'd promised Noshiko that they wouldn't tell Kira about her Kitsune heritage- they didn't want to invite complications into her life. And it had happened anyways. But Noshiko had been adamant about coming here when she realized that the Nogitsune had been released. Nothing to do about it now but keep moving forward.

"So what did you do all day? We came back in between stores and you were still out."

Kira opened the fridge to hide her face, Mom could always tell when she was lying… "Mostly just tried to not think about last semester. We played some video games and didn't do anything responsible like homework… so I should actually get started on that." She grabbed a dish of leftovers to heat up for lunch and then headed to her room. But she couldn't concentrate on homework at all, instead her mind kept going back to the piece of rock under her pillow, it demanded to be held. Without realizing it, she was sitting at her desk with it in her hand, fingers just touching the rough material. Her phone chirped and startled her.

 _You didn't die right? –PH_

Kira laughed and messaged him back, _No, just slept for awhile… Thanks, for getting me home. I really appreciate it- you're a great teacher!_ Wait, had he been waiting for her to get up? Wow, now she felt totally rude… she should have messaged him when she woke up to say thank you. But a smile tugged at her cheeks, he'd messaged her, asking if she was okay. Well, he had technically asked if she'd died but, still, it was the meaning behind the message. Was this even okay? Kira was probably reading into this way too much… he was just concerned because she'd passed out like a child or something, it wasn't like he liked her… But still, Kira pouted a bit, wondering why Scott never checked in on her like that.

 _Of course, I couldn't leave you in the woods. I should have done a better job of warning you- today was an easy day, it's only going to get harder from here on out._

 _I'm ready, I can handle it!_

 _I'll let you know later when I'll be free to continue training you, get lots of rest- PH_

Kira sighed, deep down she knew of course that this was going to be hard… but if she couldn't even handle this first lesson without passing out from exhaustion, wouldn't Peter think she was weak? No, he told her that learning about her powers was difficult, he was proud of her for even learning control like she had. Hell, Kira had exploded the rock, just like he told her to! Plus she apparently had some time between now and their next lesson so she could start preparing herself now. There was no way to really tell what was coming next but, she'd try her hardest to stay conscious next time. But for now… homework- blah! Slowly, and with the rock constantly in her free hand, Kira sifted through her stack of assignments.

*Sunday*

When Kira's alarm went off, just to prevent her from being lazy and sleeping _all_ afternoon, the Fox stretched happily. Yesterday had been rough but boy did she sleep good after such a hard workout! As she sat up, she saw that the rock was still in her hand- that couldn't really be normal, right? It was just a rock… so why did she feel so drawn to it? Hesitantly, she picked up her phone, thinking of texting Peter about it; would he think she was being stupid? Besides, was it okay for her to message him out of the blue? If Derek or anyone saw… And if they even noticed him looking at his phone, they'd want to know who exactly was contacting him. Kira debated it for a good ten minutes before finally just shooting him a message, it couldn't hurt right? Besides, if he was busy, he'd just text her back later, when he had time.

 _Peter, I um had a question? Nothing important, it can wait._ Yea, that sounded okay. Then she flopped back on her bed, wondering what Tail she should try for next. It was a surprise when her phone chirped immediately.

 _What's up?_

 _It's about the rock… Did you give it to me or?_

 _No, you just held onto it. It's a memento of your achievement, and I didn't think I should take it from you._

 _Yea, I guess it is! =D I just thought it was weird that I had it but, looking at it that way, it's nice to have a souvenir of my accomplishment._

 _I want to talk to you about something, make sure your window is unlocked –PH_

What? Peter was going to come here? Like, right now? She'd only texted him a few times but it seemed like he added on his initials whenever he started a conversation, and also when he deemed a conversation was over. It just had a feel of finality to it. What could he want to talk to her about? She frowned and looked back through her short list of messages from him but found no hints. Should she be concerned? No, probably not, maybe he wanted to tell her about his training plan or something. Prepare her for all the hard work she was going to have to do. Yea, that was probably it. Kira was smiling again, liking that the Wolf just seemed to be taking this so seriously instead of just as some boring favor.

Minutes later, when Peter deftly climbed up to her window, he looked in for a moment before knocking. She looked deep in thought and was staring at her phone… But she wasn't crying so hopefully that didn't mean Scott had broken up with her or something- no way was he going to deal with a heartbroken teen girl. Derek had been bad enough! He knocked lightly before sliding the window up and dropping inside.

Kira looked up at him and flushed, dropping her phone onto the bed guiltily, "H-hey, what's up?" Wow he was fast!

Peter lifted a finger to his lips, heading to the door and twisting the lock. Even if he was technically Pack, he wasn't about to get caught here with Kira, luck or no luck.

"Sorry, I forgot my parents are home…" she whispered.

"I figured I'd come tell you about the rock in person, much easier than over text. Now, why do you think it's special?" He'd been surprised the text hadn't come yesterday but it wasn't like he couldn't have prodded her about it then. Again, she was the one that had to figure it out although Peter was getting a little impatient. That was why he'd just come over, figuring if he was here, he could give her a small push in the right direction. He didn't really understand why, but he wanted her to realize that it was her Tail, the sooner the better.

"Special? I don't know… I mean, like you said, it's a memento of yesterday but…"

"But?" Peter nudged, voice low.

"It's just weird, I keep holding it, like I don't want to let go. Plus it's this interesting shape, almost triangular but it has these two little divets in the sides. I just like it. I woke up holding it actually"

Peter dropped himself onto her bed and laid back, hands under his head as he propped himself on the pillow next to her, booted feet politely hanging over the edge. "Maybe you should look up handheld weapons, see what you find."

"Huh?" Kira was desperately trying not to think about the fact that a grown man was just lounging on her bed, looking like he belonged there. He hadn't asked permission, hadn't paused nervously- just laid down right next to her. And his boots weren't on the bed! Scott had put his shoes up on the blankets a few times and she got mad at him for it. She blushed when he looked at her, blue eyes catching her dark ones, feeling like he could read her mind.

"I thought I was the teacher, and that you'd do what I said?"

Had she? Oh yea…. She had. Kira swallowed, thankful that Peter was such an adult about all of this. How could she have said something so… ambiguous?! Any other boy would have immediately turned it sexual but… Peter wasn't a boy. God it was obvious he wasn't a boy! It took a lot of self control to not just turn and nuzzle into his chest.

"Kira," Peter called out, raising a brow again. She certainly liked to get distracted, although, judging by the change in her scent and the way her eyes roamed, it wasn't hard to realize what might have called her attention away. Peter was a very vain man, took pride in his looks and his body; he wore clothes he knew complemented him. When her gaze cleared and she was back in the present, Peter told her again, "Handheld weapons, go on, search."

"Right, okay." Kira climbed of the bed and sat at her desk, pulling up the browser on her laptop . Images of all kinds of weapons filled the page and Kira just mindlessly scrolled, unsure of what she was doing exactly. He'd mentioned coming here and talking about the rock and now she was on the internet looking at weapons? But then suddenly an image caught her attention… "This one… what is it? The page doesn't say," she asked, pointing it out to Peter. Instantly Peter was off the bed and leaning over the back of her chair, pressing into her space, hand covering hers as he moved the mouse.

"Hmmm, looks like a push dagger, why?"

"I'm not sure, it just caught my eye… Peter, why am I looking up weapons? I thought I didn't get a Tail from weapon training?" Kira willed herself to not focus on the fact his hand was covering hers.

"You don't, but, what weapons did your mother have that were special to her?"

There was a pause before it hit Kira, the 'did' part giving it away, "Her kaiken! They were her Tails!"

"Shhh, but yes, her Tails were forged into weapons."

Kira glanced down at the rock in her hand and then back at the picture… they were a similar shape, her piece just needed to be worked on a bit but she could totally form it into something like the push dagger. "Is… Peter… is this my first Tail?"

"Not yet it isn't, but it will be. That's why it's special to you, it's calling out to you, waiting to be made."

"I don't understand though, my Mom's Tails…"

"I have no idea how, or what exactly your mother's Tails were formed from, I never saw them. But I can tell you about Kitsune Tails in general. It stems from the proclivity all Kitsune have for weapons; when you train to first use your powers, there is always something that marks your experience. Something that lets you know, deep down inside, that you've mastered it. Whatever the object is, it sticks with you, until you find its inner weapon, the shape it wants to take. After you form it, then it becomes your Tail."

"Okay, I… I understand that. Because I blew up the rock and this piece spoke to me I kept it. And because it's small, I can totally make it into a weapon like a push dagger and then have my Tail but…all of my Mom's Tails were the same, same material and size, everything. Do I need to go back and pick up more pieces of the rock for later? And how will I know when it's right to make those pieces into new Tails?"

"Whoa, easy. The other Tails aren't like your first. The first Tail marks a Kitsune reaching maturity, becoming aware of themselves and their powers. Which is why there is the trial of realizing the inner weapon and figuring it all out on your own- it's part of the maturing process. Also the reason I said I couldn't spoil it for you… even if I did give you a bit of a push. But after you have your first one, the others just… appear. The shape of your first Tail is supposed to mark the very special event and afterwards, every subsequent Tail will remind you of where you started. Also, the Tails will be generated by your Kitsune spirit as a representation of what you've earned, it's all very magical- one of the perks of being supernatural- Tails out of thin air."

"Really? I… all my other Tails will be duplicates of this one? So that means I have to make it just right… I can't mess up, they have to be perfect! I… how do I even…?"

"I have to perfect place, come on."

"We can't go downstairs though, my parents…"

Peter chuckled, finally stepping back from the computer, from the Kitsune, "And that's why we're going out the window."

"We're sneaking out?"

"You're sneaking out, I was never even here as far as your parents know. Let's go." With that, Peter was back out her window and dropping onto the grass.

Kira bit her lip and leaned out the window; her house was similar to Scott's, with the sloping roof instead of a straight drop out the window… but still. She tucked the rock into her shorts and climbed out, shuffling to the edge but making sure to not step on the gutter, it wouldn't hold her weight.

"Come on then!"

"I… I can't…"

Peter frowned at her, "What do you mean you can't? You're a Kitsune, you fly through the air while swinging a katana, and you can't jump from a roof?"

"No…" Kira mumbled, shaking her head. She still didn't have… control like that. When she had a sword in her hands, yea, her level of coordination skyrocketed. But… she still tripped over her own feet on a daily basis! It was like, if she wasn't holding a weapon, she was beyond clumsy to make up for the super coordination she exhibited from time to time.

"Fine, I'll catch you, just jump."

"Jump?"

"Hurry, before someone comes out here to see what all the noise is! Trust me, I'll catch you!"

Kira bit her lip and leapt off the roof before she could talk herself out of it. Her brain processed everything in slow motion, how Peter spread his legs to brace himself and as she dropped down, one arm swept her legs out so she reclined back. Then his other arm cradled her back and slowed her descent, pulling her to his chest, legs draped over his right arm. She was in his arms again and her heart was racing… and if she was honest with herself, it wasn't because of the short drop either.

"See? Now my car is this way, come on." Peter lightly set her down on her feet and led her down the sidewalk, hand on her lower back. Really, he should tone it down, Kira was very impressionable at this age and it seemed like she had developed a serious crush on him all of a sudden. But he loved the affect he was having on her! Loved that with a simple touch, he'd make her heartbeat skyrocket; it was also reassuring. Peter knew he was good looking, but he hadn't really concentrated on relationships since he'd woken up and knowing he still had this effect on a teen girl inflated his ego even more. The Wolf was treading on dangerous ground though and he had to make sure to keep his head above water.

"So, where are we going exactly?" Kira asked as she buckled herself in.

"To Chris's weapon depot, he has all the tools we'd need to forge your Tail."

"But I thought… no one was supposed to know? We can't just go up to him and ask to go in…"

Peter smirked at her, "What makes you think we're going to need to ask?"

"He gave you a key?" Kira asked, disbelieving.

"What? No… of course I don't have a key. We're breaking in. Or, I'm breaking in, you're just tagging along. Don't look so nervous, I've done it before. Chris should be more cautious but I mean, we're all supposed to be on the same side so he has no reason to be suspicious. Although honestly, I don't think I'm even supposed to know where it is- he'd probably move shop if he knew that I know."

"So, this is another secret, got it!"

"Good girl," Peter said. Moments later a shy whine reached his ear and Peter turned to look at his companion. Her face was pink again and her pulse was a bit erratic; he raised a brow at her, deciding to tease her a bit. "What? You don't want to be a good girl for me?"

Kira willed her flush to go away, she hadn't been expecting Peter to call her a good girl, or that it would have made her feel this way. And then he said what? "I, um, I…" an intense heat covered her body at Peter's tone, like he was hinting at more than just keeping secrets.

"I mean, come on, isn't it appealing to be such a bad girl, sneaking out of the house, keeping our meetings a secret? I've always liked bad girls, they keep things exciting," Peter commented nonchalantly, eyes turning back to the road.

"But… you just called me a good girl…" Kira whispered.

"Because you're being a good girl for me, by acting bad" he emphasized. Kira whined again and Peter had to force his mouth shut before things went too far. She didn't even seem to be aware that she'd made a noise, and the heat coming from Kira was clouding his thoughts. Good thing they'd arrived, "We're here."

"We... are? Oh, right." Kira physically shook her head to chase away the thoughts of Peter. She watched as Peter picked the lock and let himself inside, holding the door open for her. "So, this is his weapon depot?"

"Yup, it's where he loads everything, where Allison came to forge her arrowheads, all his guns are stored here. He's got a grinder, sander, all sorts of tools to help us shape your Tail and polish it up. Do you have an image in mind, how you want it to look?"

"Yea, I do, these divots are perfect for my fingers, this part turning into the blade. Then I can form the handheld part so it fits snuggly in my palm."

"Let's get started then."

The two of them got to work, Peter helping Kira figure out how the tools all worked; slowly they chipped away at the stone, refining its edges and shape. Once Kira was happy with how it fit between her middle and ring fingers, she worked on the handle. It took a lot of time and finesse, getting it just right but eventually the handle took shape too. All that was left was to put an edge on the blade, make it sharp and lethal. By the time they'd finished, the Tail was nice and smooth in her hands, sanded down to a nice finish.

"I love the coloring of it, what type of rock do you think it is?" Kira asked, looking at the black and white striped pattern of the dagger.

"I'm pretty sure it's a type of Phyllite. It came out very well, congratulations."

Kira just stared at it for a moment before closing her fingers around the handle, testing its weight. It felt natural and just holding it like this, Kira could feel her power surging. Her first Tail! The Kitsune smiled up at Peter, full of excitement at this accomplishment! Peter was smiling back, proud of her and Kira impulsively leaned up and kissed him, taking a few seconds to come to her senses. She stepped back suddenly and looked away, hand covering her mouth, "Oh my gosh, that was so inappropriate of me- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have!"

Peter was gripping the table with one hand, grounding himself so he didn't just press her into the fencing and kiss her senseless. It had obviously been too long if he was letting her have this effect on him. Once he was in control, Peter lightly stepped up to her, bent down to whisper to her. "We should probably go, before Chris finds us here." He wasn't going to mention it, knowing that if he made her feel guilty, she'd never be comfortable around him again. And Peter didn't want that at all. He wanted to press in close to her but knew that he couldn't because then he'd lose his head. So, the Wolf decided the best course of action was to just leave here and move past it. This was mostly his fault anyways, with his teasing earlier, he'd have to remember to take it easy on her in the future. Besides, as far as he knew, she and Scott had a thing.

Subconsciously Kira leaned back towards his body, even as she flushed with embarrassment at what she'd just done. But Peter hadn't admonished her, pushed her away, did this mean she hadn't messed up? If Peter thought she wasn't able to rein in her hormones, he might stop teaching her and Kira couldn't risk that! All he said was that they should go, so they didn't get caught. She nodded and hurried out to the car, looking down at her lap the entire way back to her house. When she felt the car stop, Kira immediately just jumped out of the car and sped down the block to her house. It wasn't until she got there that she remembered she had no way of getting back inside… they'd snuck out her window.

"Need some help?" a voice called from behind her. Peter had followed her of course.

"N-n-no… I…"

"Let me help you back up. I'm the one that talked you into sneaking out." Peter moved in front of her and clasped his hands together for her to step on. "Up you get."

How wasn't he embarrassed about the kiss? It wasn't like he really wanted some teenage girl, not when he could have any older woman he wanted. Kira was an absolute mess but, she needed his help to get back inside so she braced herself, hands on his shoulders as she stepped up. Then Peter easily lifted her up over his head so she could grasp the roof and hoist herself up. He even stayed until she was back in the house and sliding the window back down. Kira watched him walk away, uncertain of what was going to happen now, so she just sat on her bed once he was out of view. Her phone chirped and Kira was afraid to look, not wanting to read that Peter was calling off her training… but she had to look, had to face the truth. A smile lit up her face when she finally read it.

 _Tuesday after school, the loft will be empty. We'll start on Tail #2 then. You did good today- PH_

* * *

A/N: omg, Kira is falling so hard! And well Peter... Peter is conflicted XD he loves to tease but at the same time, he knows he can't push too far because he won't be like Kate. But obviously he's drawn to her, seeing her as this beautiful young Kitsune, not just as one of Scott's annoying friends anymore. Early Saturday it had been a game to him, seeing if he could get her flustered but now...?

Also for the height differences, I went off of Ian Bohen's height and Arden Cho's; I plugged them both into a simulator thing that showed me the exact difference. So Peter is 5'10" and Kira is 5'3" and literally, he can rest his chin on her head if they were both standing normally hahaha. Although for the record Tyler Posey is the same height as Ian... for the sake of my fic, Scott is shorter than Peter =P Why? Because I said so!

Also, I just picked Phyllite as the type of rock because I found a cool pattern, I'm basically picturing a black/white layered rock (since Phyllite is metamorphic rock) and that it would took totally badass for her Tails. Obviously I couldn't use obsidian and turn it into a shuriken like in the show so I changed it a bit XD Other than the look, I have no idea about the properties of the rock so, let's not focus on that too much XD


	3. Healing

A/N: Peter and Kira work on healing today, so slight warning, Peter does end up hurting Kira. He isn't doing it out of spite though, it's just a part of the training and he's careful, as gentle as he can be. Also, more sexual tension ;) muhahaha but at least this time, Peter let's Kira know he returns her feelings (well he doesn't admit it outright but... -cough cough-)

Also, delving even further into my version of Kitsune lore. I've looked up some stuff, and what I've seen is that there are Kitsune and Nogitsune. Kitsune are the "good" or "light" foxes while Nogitsune are the "bad" or "dark" ones. In the show, we see the Nogitsune as a Void Fox but that from what I've read... it seems like any type can become a Nogitsune. This helped shape my idea for why Kitsune "take decades" to earn their Tails and how I'm getting around that by having Kira learn at a much faster pace XD

Peter mentions "kits" in reference to baby foxes, just in the same way I've had Werewolves refer to their offspring as pups. Just throwing that out there in case it threw some of my readers off.

* * *

*Tuesday*

Kira was biting her nails, leg bouncing as she stared at the clock, jumping when Lydia admonished her suddenly.

"You are as bad as Stiles, stop it! Don't you know how bad chewing on your nails is?"

"Sorry I just… can't wait to get out of class," she mumbled back.

It was the last class of the day, ten minutes left in Biology and she just wanted to get out of here. It was time for her second Tail already! Well, maybe… if she actually learned… whatever it was they were working on today… Kira snuck another glance at her Kitsune notes, the ones she'd slipped into her binder, just so she could study it in her free time. The most likely was healing today since that one seemed easy and also pretty necessary but maybe Peter wanted her to learn how to do hornet summoning? No way to know until she got there.

"What's so important? I've never seen you this eager to get out of school. Did Scott finally ask you on a date?"

"What?! N-no, Scott hasn't… he's been busy, and then I'm busy… It's nothing like that- besides he has practice today. And with that new kid… Liam right? Scott's totally worried that Liam is going to make captain and it's stressing him out…"

Lydia sighed, understanding, "It's hard competing with lacrosse for attention. Once Scott realizes that he's got such an advantage because of his… condition, he'll do fine. It's rare for Coach to make a freshman the captain. Besides try-outs were weeks ago…"

"Yea but Coach hasn't decided on a captain yet, he made the roster and everything but he's holding off on captain until just before their first game, which is this Saturday so, Scott's still feeling the pressure. Wait, I thought Jackson was captain when he was a freshman… that's what I always heard."

"Coach is playing them, didn't think he was like that. Normally he announces it right away but he wants Scott and the other upperclassmen to try harder and beat Liam. Liam is good though… And yes, Jackson did make captain his freshman year, but that's why I know how rare it is- he told Jackson that he was the first freshman captain in 9 years." Lydia got a sad look on her face, apparently still thinking about Jackson made her sad… or maybe he had reminded her of Aiden…

"Oh, right, I-" the bell rang, excusing them. "I'll see you tomorrow then!" Kira said hastily before speeding out of the room. She'd told her parents about having to go to a study group, asking if she could borrow a car instead of just going home with Dad and thankfully they agreed to let her. So Kira hopped into her mom's car and drove to the loft, sitting in the car for a quite a few minutes, trying to gather her nerves. Peter hadn't mentioned the kiss at all, he was being an adult and moving past it, she should as well. If she didn't, Kira wouldn't be able to face him and would be too embarrassed to learn anything. So she got her butt out of the car and into the elevator, hoping that Derek was indeed gone. She strode to the loft door feigning confidence she didn't really feel, slid the door open and then slammed to a halt, jaw dropping. Peter didn't have a shirt on- he was just standing there, waiting for her, bare-chested.

"Oh, there you are. I thought I heard a car pull up. Are you coming in or…?" Peter asked, raising a brow.

And because life never seemed to go smoothly for Kira, her bag slipped off her shoulder and thudded onto the ground just to emphasize her blatant, open-mouthed staring. She'd seen Peter in some tight shirts, gotten a peek at his abs when he'd stretched, even his muscled arms but… damn! "Wh-why aren't you wearing a s-shirt?" Kira finally managed to tear her gaze away, flushing and staring at the ceiling like she'd walked in on him changing or something.

"Well, the plan was that you'd join me in the disrobing…"

Her mouth dropped open again and a high-pitched squeak came out. "E-e-excuse me? J-join you?"

"Yea, unless… you want to get blood on your clothes?" Peter kept his face as innocent as he could, not used to someone just being so innocent and shy. Normally, a woman would play his game right back, swing her hips and smile at him, but Kira just turned into a tomato and gaped at him. He'd never seen her act this nervous around Scott, so it looked like the boy wonder didn't have so much to offer after all. That was an intriguing thought.

She hadn't registered his comment about the blood, was still too distracted by the 'joining me' statement from before. "I thought we were moving past the k-kiss, I mean, you can't possibly want… surely you don't…" There was no way he was thinking of her in that light.

Peter frowned and then tsked to himself, "Didn't I text you? Oh I'm sorry, I must not have hit send- forgive me. I was thinking we could work on your healing today, since that's an integral part of your survival. Really, we should have done this one first since you can't protect others if you're dead yourself. But well, maybe working on the FoxFire helped wake up the Fox and will make the healing process easier. Now please, come in and shut the door, and take off your shirt. Derek doesn't have the best of washing machines and I am not a seamstress so if your shirt gets ruined you'd have to throw it away. If your parents were to somehow find it, there would be questions, so please, shirt off."

Kira felt absolutely stupid, of course Peter wasn't trying to… to… seduce her- she had nothing to offer him! Peter was an adult, he had probably forgotten all about the kiss from Sunday, even if that was all Kira had been thinking about since then. She'd told herself to forget about it, to move on and get a hold of herself, let Peter teach her about her Tails and that's it. So she picked up her bag, closed the door, and stepped further into the loft. As she walked over to the couch to drop off her bag, Peter cleared his throat.

"Do you trust me?"

"Y-yes, why?"

"If we're going to work on your healing, that means that I'm going to have to hurt you. And I'm not talking about giving you a paper cut. Is that okay?"

Kira nodded firmly, "Yes, I understand what needs to happen. But… what exactly are you going to do? How bad will it hurt?"

"Very bad. In order to jumpstart the healing, you have to receive a very serious injury, one that your Kitsune will recognize as life threatening." When Kira's eyes widened in fear, Peter realized he might be overdoing it...

"Life… threatening? Peter… how? What if… what if I can't learn how to heal?"

Peter frowned and stepped forward, hands gripping her shoulders, "I won't let you die here. Remember what I said about confidence? You have to trust that your powers will manifest when you will them to. And if you're going to spend time in the supernatural world, you're going to have to learn to how to take pain. Don't be scared of pain, don't let the fear of being hurt stop you."

"But how… can you not fear pain?"

"You condition yourself to it, move past the pain and just keep going. We can work on that too if you want, start off slow of course. But first, the healing. Now, I'd rather not get blood everywhere so, if you'd kindly sit with me on these towels over here after taking off your shirt," Peter told her, gesturing to some towels laid out on the floor.

Kira's heart started to race, Peter's words just repeating over and over… life threatening… Slowly, she pulled her top over her head, crossing an arm over her chest. She'd gone with just a bandeau today, not wanting to get in trouble for a strap showing since she had worn a wide-necked shirt. Now she just felt even more vulnerable with the band of cloth around her chest because there was nothing to stop it from sliding down... This felt too close to being naked in front of him and she knew her face was pink.

"Kira, it will be fine. Well, it's going to hurt but you'll heal, that's what this is all about." Peter knelt down, patting the space in front of him.

She took small steps towards him, absolutely terrified of what was going to happen to her; clumsily she dropped down in front of him, crossing her legs and biting her lip, willing herself not to cry. This would be okay, she needed to get used to this. At his request, she held her arm out and her eyes were glued to where his fingers pressed into her forearm. He hadn't even glanced at her body, he was being professional- just like always. Realizing this calmed her down a bit, relaxing her muscles a bit. If he can move past the shirtlessness then so could she.

Peter was going to have to ease her into this a little more softly than he had previously thought. She was absolutely terrified right now and he felt bad about that. "I'll ask again, do you trust me?"

"Yes, I do."

"I'm going to dig my claws into your arm, okay? It's going to hurt and you're going to bleed, but I can feel the main artery and vein in your arm- I won't be hitting those. The objective is to trigger the healing, not have you bleed out."

"I thought… I thought it had to be life threatening?" Her relieved voice told Peter that he'd made the right choice.

Peter shrugged, "The more dangerous the wound, the higher possibility that it will spark your healing yes, that's true. But at the same time, Kira, you aren't very experienced, if I hurt you too badly, there is a chance you'll go into shock and die. Now, find your Release, it might be too hard for you to focus on it if you wait until after I cut you to trigger it."

"Alright, sounds good. But what if this doesn't work? What if it's not enough?"

"Then we'll move on to broken bones," he stated, claws shifting, growing.

Kira swallowed, broken bones really didn't sound fun, so hopefully this worked on the first try… although, getting cut open didn't really seem like fun either. Since she'd been practicing, it only took a second to Release her powers, feeling the pulse of energy increase in her body… hopefully it would be enough. She nodded to Peter, as ready as she was ever going to be, barely managing to hold in her scream of pain as his claws pierced her skin. As he raked down her arm, she sucked in a stuttered breath, flashes of stars behind her eyes from the pain. "G-gaah, w-wow that hurts!"

"Of course it does, don't focus on that though, focus on the energy, move it to the area of the wound so it will start healing."

"It's… it's hard to f-focus," Kira panted out, eyes narrowed as she concentrated. Try as she might though, her mind was too scattered to even pool her energy in her chest, her starting point. Instead it thrummed all over her body, erratic and hectic in response to her pain.

"Focus Kira, you have to focus."

"I, I know, I'm trying but…the pain is radiating up my entire arm and it's messing me up. I'm trying to pool my energy, like you showed me, so I can have it travel to my arm but…" Kira whimpered and closed her eyes as her arm throbbed- it felt like it was on fire.

"Well I'd take the pain but that wouldn't really contribute to the lesson now would it," Peter stated, watching her arm, wanting to make sure it hadn't started to bleed too much. He hadn't cut too deep but still, better to be on the watchful side.

"If I wasn't in pain though, I could focus my energy," Kira sighed, hoping he might take pity on her.

Peter chuckled, "Dealing with the pain _is_ part of the lesson, not just the healing. I won't baby you, if you want to get stronger you have to be tough. Fight past the pain and be glad this isn't a serious wound."

Kira tried to smile but it felt like more of a grimace, "Worth a shot. Is.. is there anything you can do to help me focus past the pain? I just… my power is all right here, under the surface but…"

He knew what Kira needed was an adrenaline rush, it would produce the same effect as if she was really in danger, jolt her system and increase her power. If her energy level was high enough, she wouldn't have to focus it all on the wound, it would just light up her body and heal of its own accord. The only problem was… he didn't think that counted as mastering her healing… only one way to find out though. Peter surged forward, pushing Kira onto her back with one hand coming up to cup her head as they fell to the floor. His free hand slid up the outside of her thigh as he lay over top of her, lips almost touching hers. The effect was immediate, tendrils of electricity shooting up her arms as her adrenaline skyrocketed.

Kira mewled, hardly daring to breathe as she felt his hand on her thigh, surprised by his sudden movement. Her skin felt warm and 2 sizes too small as she felt her energy explode out from her fingers, overwhelming her; the lightning crawled over her hands and the pain in her arm faded. But all she could focus on was Peter over top of her, touching her. Self consciously she licked her lips, but he was so close to her that her tongue brushed over his lower lip and Peter's eyes flared. Kira could feel heat building between her thighs and she lifted her hips, whimpering, needing to feel more of his body.

As the Kitsune lifted her hips, inviting him closer, Peter started to growl possessively, wanting nothing more than to kiss her. His plan had only been to surprise her (which had worked, the scent of blood was gone) but now that he was this close… his control was slipping. Her mewling wasn't helping either, he could feel his Wolf howling inside, in a frenzy over the submissive sounds.

"Peter?" The sound was hardly more than a whisper but it was enough.

The dam broke, Peter's hand tangling in her hair as he pressed his lips down onto hers, hips rocking down onto her. When she gasped, he licked into her mouth, growl still in his throat as his nibbled on her lips. Caution had gone out the window, Peter no longer cared if he crossed the line, that Kira was underage, he was inexplicably drawn to her. At first he just thought it had been because she was different, some new type of Kitsune for him to study, and that was one of the reasons he'd agreed to teach her. But now he knew it was something different entirely, his Wolf wanted to Claim her. It made no sense though, she was a Fox, a shy young girl- not his type at all! But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that from the minute he saw her, he'd been intrigued and taken by surprise. It was because of his surprise that he'd kept his distance, unsure of what his feelings were trying to tell him, but when she dropped herself into his lap… he hadn't been prepared for that. But now he was touching her, scenting her, and he didn't want to stop. He was pulled out of his frantic state by a sudden jolt, mind immediately screaming "Hunter."

When Peter had finally kissed her, Kira thought her heart would stop from the overload of longing. She gasped, needing air and then she felt his tongue, heard his growls; her Fox trembled with want. Kira's whole body lit up and when she went to wrap an arm around him, Peter jolted and rolled off of her. At first she'd been afraid she'd done something wrong but then she realized that Peter was looking at her arms…or more accurately, the lines of electricity arcing from them. She must have shocked him when she'd touched him.

"Maybe we should continuing working on control," he smirked. She just had to be a Thunder Kitsune. God that shock had surprised him more than when Allison got him with her baton. It was good though, brought him back to his senses- he could _not_ get caught with Kira like this. "Looks like we got a little off topic here, I just meant to help you jumpstart your powers, 'overload the system' as it were and make you heal."

"Well it worked," Kira told him, still a little breathless as she looked over her arm now that the current had died down.

"But it didn't help teach you how to control it, you won't get your Tail until you can heal on your own terms," Peter sighed, sitting up. Here he was, supposed to be teaching her and instead he's corrupting her, although judging by her scent, it wasn't like she minded.

"So, you basically knew that my body would react to you being so close, and that by overcharging me, my energy would go everywhere and I'd heal?"

"Yea, that's the gist of it." Peter tilted his head, waiting for her to get mad, say that he manipulated her, react out of embarrassment, something. Because that's exactly what he'd done, he manipulated her body into doing what he wanted, played off her feelings for him (never mind the fact that he hadn't intended to lose control), all to get a result. Lydia hated it when he did that, so did Allison, Scott, Stiles, Derek. The only difference this time was that he'd actually tried to do it for her, not his own agenda; she could still get mad though if she wanted. But instead, Kira just bit her lip, looking at the floor. "What?"

"N-nothing!" Kira mumbled. Here she thought that maybe… she'd forget about the kiss eventually but now, god now she was breathless just thinking of how his teeth pulled at her lip. He'd known just how her body would react to him- he'd done it on purpose! Did that mean… he liked her? She turned red as the electricity started to arc from her body again, reacting to her elevated heartbeat, reacting to thoughts of Peter. Wait… Peter never failed to make her nervous, get her worked up… maybe she should use thoughts of him as a Release instead. Use this embarrassing crush to her advantage… The only problem was… now she was having trouble reining it all back in!

"Kira?"

"I'm- I'm fine! Just… give me a second," she panted, doing her best to just empty her mind. But her brain wasn't cooperating, instead she envisioned Peter over top of her again, recalled the feel of his hand on her thigh.

"Yea, we're definitely working on control, healing can wait a minute."

"No, I'm fine-"

Peter fixed her with a stare, "Your eyes are glowing Kira, did you know that?"

"N-n-no, I don't want them to be…I'm trying… Don't get to close! I don't want to hurt you…"

"Then don't hurt me," Peter said softly, stepping closer to her. She was still sitting on the ground so he knelt in front of her, hand reaching out.

"What are you doing? I'm going to end up shocking you like earlier…" Kira was frozen in place, half of her wanting Peter to touch her again, and the other half remembering how he'd jumped off of her when she'd touched him in this state.

"Confidence, remember? If you don't want to hurt me, then don't hurt me. You are in control of the lightning, remember that. It doesn't control you- you control it!"

Kira whimpered but nodded her head- she had a few moments to cut off her power before he touched her. If things weren't under control by then, he'd get hurt. A sudden calm came over her as she remembered that she had her Tail for FoxFire already! She knew how to control it! Maybe she wasn't a total expert yet but she'd earned her Tail and that meant Peter was right. The lightning didn't control her! She repeated that again and screwed her eyes shut, willing the arcs to calm down, to dissipate.

"Good girl," Peter whispered as he touched her cheek.

Kira leaned into the touch, happy to be calm again. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought, maybe she was too young to be earning Tails… Kira jolted upright, realizing something. "Peter, I don't think I can earn this Tail…"

"Can't? What do you mean can't?"

"I _just_ learned about my FoxFire, it's way too soon for a second Tail. Mom said it takes decades to learn Tails… It hasn't even been a week and I'm trying to learn healing… no wonder it isn't working right."

"That's a load of bullshit and I can't believe your mother is sipping from the kool-aid…"

"What?"

Peter stood up and narrowed his eyes, "That's why I can't stand some cultures. I was so pissed when I'd learned about the lies Kitsune spread to their kits! Wolves are always spreading knowledge, wishing for the next generation to become strong, be self-reliant! We work together because we're stronger together." Hell, even Peter felt that pull, it was why (albeit hesitantly) he taught Derek and Scott tricks on how to be better Alphas. The reason he was hesitant was mostly because he only barely felt like Pack so he wasn't as influenced by the growing strength like the others were. "Kitsune are the exact opposite of that and it's absolutely ridiculous, they all live in fear!"

Kira got to her feet as Peter began to pace, "Please explain… Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I'm not mad at you," the Wolf assured her, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Kitsune live in fear of Nogitsune, the dark, power-hungry Foxes."

"How many Void Kitsune are there?"

"No, it's not Void Kitsune they are afraid of. Any Kitsune can become a Nogitsune if they lose themselves to the darkness. Just like any Wolf can become a Rogue to be hunted down by those like Chris and Allison. It is prevalent with Void Kitsunes because they have the Tail for chaos manipulation, which tends to get abused by the trickster part of your spirits. But not every Void Kitsune becomes a Nogitsune, and not every Nogitsune is Void."

"I… I had no idea…"

"Of course not, because your parents have taught you nothing!" Peter growled out.

Kira stepped forward, putting her hand on his arm, trying to calm him. "So, Nogitsune are just in general, powerful, dark Kitsune?"

"Yes. And because Kitsune don't want to be overrun by Nogitsune, they curb the learning of their offspring. Kira, like I told you, how long it takes to earn your Tails all depends on you. You don't have to be a certain age to start learning, you don't have to wait any length of time between Tails. They lie to the kits because they don't think teenagers can handle the power! They think any Kitsune under a century old just doesn't have the worldly experience to handle having more than one or two Tails."

"Wh-what?" She stepped back, mind reeling. Her mother had lied to her? It was one thing… to omit information… but to lie?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you like this… I just get all worked up over it. I thought maybe, since your mom has spent so much time here, away from a majority of Kitsune, she might have raised you differently."

"So, if I'm skilled enough, theoretically, I could all my Tails in a week?"

Peter laughed, "Well, you'd be absolutely exhausted but I mean, yea theoretically you could."

"Attack me!" Kira told him suddenly, eye narrowing.

Now it was Peter's turn to ask, "What?"

"If I don't have a time limit, then I'm going to master my Tails and show Mother that her way of doing things is wrong! I don't need to live for centuries to know that hurting people is wrong!"

Peter made a contemplative face, "Eehhh, sometimes it's okay to hurt people but I get your point. Are you sure?"

"I will learn how to heal before I go home! Even if it takes all night!"

"You know… maybe I should take this time to work on your fighting skills as well," Peter mused.

"I know how to fight though, that's about the only thing Mom has taught me."

Peter scowled, "She taught you how to fight enemies with swords. Tell me, do you see a sword in my hand?"

"N-no…"

"And is there one in yours?"

"No."

"Well then, let's see how well you do." With that, Peter charged at her, clawed hand swiping at empty space as Kira reflectively danced backwards. As he went to slash at her again, she knocked his hand away, slapping it to the side and then made a kick at him. But Peter didn't dodge, instead he turned, bending his knee to absorb the blow and catch her ankle, throw her off balance.

"No fair!" she cried out before twisting her leg free.

"Anything is fair in a fight Kira, enemies don't play by rules." Peter knew he was going to regret this but he knew that this was about the Kitsune right now. "Use your FoxFire! You know how to wield it now, the whole point of earning that Tail was to be stronger. That Tail is designed to protect a Fox in the event they lose their weapons in a fight."

Kira shook her head and danced away as Peter continued to attack her, "No, I'll hurt you…"

"Then I'll show you just how strong I really am. I'm not afraid of a little lightning, now use it." This was probably going to hurt…

"I'll try…" Kira widened her stance, done with the defensive, ready to do the attacking now. She summoned her FoxFire, easily calling it to her hands; at the very least, with the current in her hands like this, every time she blocked an attack, she'd wound her opponent. She yelled out as she ran at Peter, instinctively bringing her hands up to her chest; lightning gathered between her hands, forming a ball and Kira knew what to do. When Peter moved forward to accept her challenge, Kira pushed off of one foot and leapt into the air, spinning mid-flip to release the orb. She smiled at Peter was forced to dodge away but she paid for even that brief lapse in attention.

Peter quickly countered while Kira was still in the air, dodging around the ball of lightning and jumping up to meet her. He lightly dug into her sides, just enough to draw blood and cause pain; the two of them landed back on the floor, Kira hissing at the pain. He watched as she covered her left side with her hand, helping her to focus on that spot while her right hand extended towards him. The arc of lightning hit him square in the chest and his muscles tightened painfully. But he pushed forward, ignoring the fact that his leg gave out on him with his next step. By that time, Kira was healing her right side now but she still needed her hand as a guide- not good enough! Peter roared and bared his fangs, spinning in the air and pushing her back with a kick. Thankfully she was fast enough to block it, Peter hadn't wanted to break a rib. Instead she whimpered a bit, something in her wrist snapping, It made him pause, just long enough to make sure she was still willing to carry on. The electric fist to his face was a yes.

As Peter staggered back, hand on his chin and a stunned expression on his face,Kira laughed. "You're the one that said all is fair in a fight. I noticed your attention wandered so I attacked."

The Wolf nodded in concession; it was actually good that she hadn't let the pain make her pause."How's the wrist then?"

"Huh? It's fine, why?"

Peter raised his brows, "You healed that break already?!"

The Fox looked down at her wrist, surprised, gaping when she realized there was something curled in her fist. "I had no idea I just… it hurt for like the second and then it was fine. Peter… look." She extended her hand out, opening up her fingers to show him the striped push dagger.

"Is that… really Tail number 2?"

"Yea! My other one is in my bag, over by the couch. You were totally right, it just… appeared out of nowhere! I'm going home today with two Tails!"

Peter smiled to himself as she did a little victory dance, small excited arcs flying from her body now and then. "And it didn't even take all night," he smirked as she finished up her dance. "You adapted to the new fighting style very quickly though, good job."

"Thank you! It just happened so naturally, I'd like to practice with it more, get really good at it since you never know when I won't have my weapons with me. So thank you for also telling me to try that." Kira was just flying right now- today had been amazing so far! Peter had even been the one to kiss her! And just like that, she remembered that she was wearing shorts and a bandeau- "I should probably get dressed now…"

"Yea, probably a good idea," Peter said, grabbing his own shirt off the back of a chair.

Once she had her shirt back on, feeling less vulnerable, Kira felt like they should address what had happened. "P-Peter… About earlier…"

"Yes?" Peter tiled his head, was she getting cold feet? Or was she going to tell him it was inappropriate again? Now that Peter had accepted his feelings (even though he wasn't going to admit them aloud just yet), he didn't really want to hold himself back from her. Of course he was still a little unsure about the whole thing because he didn't know how she felt about it on an emotional level. Sure, the physical response was there, no one could deny that but, did she understand the implications? Peter had done a lot of things, but he wouldn't be accused of pushing Kira into a physical relationship if she wasn't 100% on board.

"For my mental and emotional sake, I have to know… earlier, did you kiss me just to help me with me healing, or was there more to it? I need to know if it's all in my head... If it is, just tell me and I won't bring it up again, I promise."

"Did you want there to be more?"

Kira looked down at her hands, mumbling a very quiet yes, waiting for him to laugh at her, call her a silly child. If Scott, someone her own age, couldn't be bothered to return her infatuation, then why would Peter? But she'd hate herself if she wasn't at least honest with him, couldn't bring herself to lie. Peter was someone that actually listened to her, took time out of his day to teach her, and he was amazingly hot on top of that. Hell, she'd been physically attracted to him when they first met, even though it became obvious the others wanted to protect her from him. Everything about him should just scream at her to run away though- he was a killer, he was known to be manipulative to get what he wanted, and he was older. She had no concrete proof that he would be good for her if they took this beyond training her about her Tails. But regardless of that… she felt this bone-deep yearning for him- needed him. She had no idea where this sudden emotional connection had come from though… Maybe it was because he was an outsider… barely accepted in the Pack, which was something Kira could resonate with. She was the only Kitsune, an unknown, in Scott's Pack… Even Lydia had come to terms with her powers and was still kind of viewed as Human. But then maybe the emotionally attachment stemmed from the fact that he was willing to teach her; Kira was smart enough to realize that she had a bad habit of forming crushes easily. Whatever the reason was, Kira needed more and didn't care about the long term consequences. And she knew that her Fox felt the same way! The Fox felt drawn to Peter in a way that Kira had never felt when she was around Scott, surely that was a sign of something!

The Wolf noticed that Kira tensed as he stepped closer to her so he kept his tone soft. "If you want there to be more, then we can be more," he said, lifting her chin. Now that she said she wanted it, had verbally confirmed it, Peter had no reason to hold back. He still didn't quite understand where the feelings had come from but he was impulsive enough that he didn't care. If his Wolf wanted her, he wasn't going to deny himself. His hands gripped her hips, lifting her small body up so he could kiss her; her legs wrapped around his waist and he carried them over to the couch. Peter dropped down over top of her, a hand in her hair, wanting to cover her with his scent.

Kira held on tightly to Peter, not wanting to let go, to lose this chance; her fingers dug into his shoulders as he rolled his hips and she felt how hard he was. She sucked at his tongue, trying to pull him even closer, wishing that they'd waited to get dressed now. As Peter moved to bite down on her neck, Kira could feel herself getting too worked up again, the tight feeling returned as her energy got to be too much. "P-Peter…"

The Wolf growled as he bit down on the soft skin of her neck, only just barely keeping his teeth Human. He felt a strong tingling sensation along his back and knew that Kira was losing control but he didn't really seem to care; he just wanted to hear her crying out for more. Peter moved down the couch, lifting her shirt up so he could kiss her stomach, suck a mark into her skin. He could feel himself straining against his jeans as she arched her back and moaned, hips rubbing against his chest. Every time he kissed her, there was a shock of static, making his lips tingle and he found that he liked the feeling.

Just as Kira was starting to wonder if maybe she was hurting Peter, she heard her phone go off in her bag, "I..I should get that…" she mumbled, carding her fingers through his hair, watching small tendrils dissipate over his skin.

"Go ahead," Peter murmured against her skin, making no effort to move off of her.

Kira huffed, not really wanting to answer it either but it was her mom's ringtone and knew she couldn't ignore it. So she dug the phone out of her bag and answered it, sucking in a breath as Peter suddenly moved up higher, his hands tugging at the bottom of her bandeau. "H-hello?"

"Kira, are you alright?" Noshiko asked, suddenly worried.

"Yea I'm-I'm fine, why?"

"It's getting late. I texted you a bit ago, asking if you'd be home for dinner and you didn't reply so I called."

"Oh wow, is it close to dinner t-time already?" Kira stuttered out, doing her best to stifle a moan when she felt Peter suck a hickey onto the bottom of her breasts. Her hips were rocking against his, needing more friction and she just wanted to throw her phone across the room and say "screw it" and not go home for dinner. She barely registered what her mom was saying, concentrating instead on the feel of Peter's mouth.

"Yes, it's already 5:40, so you're coming home right?"

"Y-yea I'll be h-home soon, bye!" And without waiting for her mom to say anything else, Kira hung up and dropped her phone onto the floor. "Peter, I can't hold it in…" she whimpered, afraid to touch him now, knowing how electricity affected Wolves. When Peter finally looked up at her, tearing himself away from her breasts, Kira could see that his eyes were glowing.

"Let it out then," Peter told her, reaching up to tangle one of his hands with hers. This wasn't like all the times he'd been tortured- it surprised him that first time but… he realized now that her lightning carried a liveliness to it, a warmth. She wasn't intending to hurt him with this, she just couldn't contain all her energy, so he was going to show her that he wasn't scared of her powers.

"I don't want to, I just need to calm down a-" she was interrupted as Peter kissed her, like he was determined to push her over the edge. And it worked, Kira cried out as she felt her powers jump out of her body; her eyes flew open and she could see Peter's eye fluttering as the current traveled through his body. But he didn't stop kissing her, didn't let go of her hand. When the moment passed, both of them lay there panting and shaking, but they were smiling.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Peter could feel his body trembling and he couldn't help but wonder how intense that would've been if he'd been inside her.

"Are you sure? I know that… electricity is bad for you…"

"No, this was different. When we were fighting, that hurt, because you were actively attacking me, but this stuff was distinct, it was energizing and warm. It's definitely different, I've never felt anything like that but I know it was because you didn't want to hurt me. Because you were in a specific mindset, your lightning was different too."

"Good," Kira sighed, relieved. She tilted her head as Peter went back to biting on her neck, whimpering and gasping. "I need to be h-heading home…"

"Yea, sure, whenever you're ready." Peter should be responsible, climb off of her and let her leave but he didn't. Instead he rubbed her bare sides, leaving her shirt bunched up under her arms, ran his nose along her neck and snuffled happily. She smelled like him.

And Kira was content to just let him touch her, relishing the attention he was giving her- Peter Hale was actually touching her! But eventually she finally sighed and sat up, legs still wrapped around the Wolf, not wanting to leave. "When can I come back?"

"For training or for this?"

"Both," Kira admitted.

"Depends, what do you want to work on next? If it's something we should work on outside then that's easier but if we need to be in the loft I'd have to give Derek another errand to run," Peter told her as he nibbled on her ear.

The Kitsune whined, "Can't I just come over anyway? I don't really care if Derek knows…"

"Trust me, if Derek knew, he wouldn't let you be alone with me, he'd tell Scott and everyone else and then they'd host an intervention for you. Or they might think that I'm brainwashing you…"

"But you wouldn't do that! I know you wouldn't! How could they even suggest something like that?" Kira frowned, cupping Peter's cheek.

But he just smirked, "Have you forgotten that I've killed people? And that I planted my memories into Lydia's subconscious so that way I could manipulate her into bringing me back to life?"

"No… I haven't forgotten. But I've seen the things you've done for the Pack since then… you've gone out of your way to help them! You are the reason Stiles is okay! I even know that you helped Derek save Cora when she'd been hurt. You aren't the same person that turned Scott. If I can see that… why can't they?"

"History is hard to forget, and they are probably never going to forgive me. Which is fine, because I'm not going to change. I will always put my interests ahead of theirs, I will always bend the rules to get what I want- I'm bending the rules just so I can have you."

Kira flushed, body reacting to the way he claimed a stake on her, that she was his to have. And that meant he wasn't going to let the others stop him, wouldn't be turned away from their time together. But she understood that if they at least kept it under wraps for awhile, they wouldn't have to deal with the drama. "I want to see you as soon as possible, so I guess our next meeting can be in the woods again. I don't mind."

"Then let's just continue down the list, work on the imbuing next, so you'll need to have your katana. That's going to be a long day though so it probably won't be until the weekend…"

"No, I can't do it this weekend… Scott wants me to go to the game…"

Peter stiffened, "Why does it matter what Scott wants?" Surely she didn't still have any feelings for the self-righteous Alpha… not after the way Peter had touched her- Scott couldn't possibly make her react this way!

"If I don't go… he'll want to know why and I'm just so bad at lying… He'll know I'm up to something and he'll get all suspicious- what if he follows me here and sees us?"

"True… Okay then it will either have to wait-"

"I'll skip Friday!" Kira stated, not willing to wait more than a few days. "But umm… you might have to be the one to get my katana. Dad won't let me bring it to school in the car and if I went all the way home on foot and then back to school, someone might see me."

"I can get it, just leave your window unlocked. We'll meet in the morning, after you get to school on Friday then." He was just happy that she wasn't still showing interest in Scott, wanting to go to his game to support him or something. Peter wasn't going to stand for any competition and he wouldn't hesitate to make that clear to the Alpha. Kira was just thinking ahead though, something he could definitely appreciate- keen minds were rare in this town. "You better go, before I get you in trouble," he said softly, reaching up and tucking her shirt back down for her. "Wait, before you go…"

"Yea?"

"I'd like to borrow one of your Tails- no questions, I'll explain it all on Friday. I'll take good care of it, I promise, it won't leave my sight. It will only be for a few days."

"I…" Kira paused. Her mom had taught her that her Tails were her most prized possession! She wasn't supposed to lose them or treat them casually… let alone let someone just take one… But this was Peter, and he was expecting her to trust him. "Sure, but if anything happens to it…"

"If anything happens to it, I'll be dead," Peter assured her. That was actually easier than he thought, only a second of hesitation. And she listened, didn't ask a single question. So the least Peter could do was protect that Tail with his life.

Kira pulled the Tail out of her pocket, not really sure how it had gotten there (last she remembered it was just in her palm), and handed it to Peter. "I'll see you Friday then," she whispered, gathering up her stuff. Impulsively, she leaned in and kissed Peter one last time before rushing out the door. She still couldn't believe that he was actually interested in her?! It hadn't all been in her head? Her body was still tingling where he'd kissed her, oh, the way he just… controlled the situation! Marking her body, knowing that it belonged to him now and he wasn't shy about showing it. She'd been intimate with one boy, before moving here, and he'd been so nervous and shy- the whole experience was just embarrassing and awful! Not Peter though, he'd probably never been nervous or unsure in his life! Kira could definitely get used to a man that knew what he was doing.

Peter looked out the window, watching as she drove away; had he really made a move on a 17 year old? He was 31, no one would ever approve of what they'd done- of what Peter wanted to do to her. Now that she was gone, he could think a little more clearly and he pondered about the situation. It was only after he was certain that he was nothing like Kate, did Peter finally relax. He hadn't set his sights on Kira in order to manipulate her, didn't offer to train her because he wanted to corrupt her, make her betray Scott… There was no ulterior motive that he could possible come up with that involved the Kitsune. Hell, he wasn't even the one that approached her, it had all been a coincidence when she'd found him in the loft last week. There was still that level of intrigue that Peter didn't understand but at least he could admit in all honesty that he was genuinely interested in her if anyone asked. Not that Peter had any trouble getting away with lying; he lied all the time with no one being wise to it. Feeling a little better about this new turn of events, Peter made his way out to his own car, Tail in his pocket, he had a surprise for Friday.

* * *

A/N: Just a quick thing, I'm making Peter 31 since, he was suppose to have traveled the world after high school. So that would mean, he was about 29 when he woke up from the coma, and 23 when the fire happened. That's about 5 years worth of travel to explain how Peter just knows so much about everything.


	4. A Present For Kira

A/N: Kira is getting so strong! They work on her 3rd Tail today; Peter even brings Kira a present.  
I borrowed from my scene in Wolf Beckons here so some of you may notice the similarities heehee. Obviously I had to change bits and pieces of it so it's not an exact copy of what I wrote before but it follows the scene from that story and has some elements directly from that story.

We also see some of Peter's antagonistic thoughts shine through, his animosity towards Scott coming to light a bit. Personally, from Peter's perspective, I think his attitude is completely justified XD Although I do love Scott as a character, they are all dynamic and have faults and I like exploring that more. Since this fic is more centered on Peter and Kira, Scott is going to get some "trash talk" hahahaha. It's nothing awful though, just... truthful.

* * *

*Friday*

Peter parked his car a few blocks away from the school, at a nearby park, this way it could stay here for a few hours and not be suspicious. Kira would be coming from the school in a short while so he had time to set up. It hadn't taken him long to slip into her house and grab her katana, he had that along with a gift for today. As Peter bent down to grab the box from the passenger seat, he paused, realizing something: he was going out of his way to help Kira with this. This was going beyond just helping a Packmate, and it was more than just because the Kitsune had a crush on him. Last week, hadn't he been scheming ways for her to pay him back a favor? And now he was getting ready to give her a gift. This wasn't like him, at all, but Peter wasn't really concerned with it- curious sure, but not concerned. Like he'd told Kira, he always took what he wanted and his Wolf wanted her, who was he to question it? He walked into the woods, finding a tree to lean against, and waited for her to find him.

Kira hurried out into the woods, wanting to be out of sight in case anyone happened to look in her direction. It wouldn't take long for the school to realize she was absent and she was sure to get into trouble when she got home. That was later though, and she was focused on the now. As soon as she was far enough into the trees that she couldn't see the school, Kira closed her eyes and focused her hearing. He was closer than last time and it only took her a few minutes to pinpoint his heartbeat and follow it to his location.

"You're getting better at listening, good," Peter commented as soon as he caught sight of her.

She beamed at the praise, happy that she was continuing to impress him.

"I have a present for you, just like I promised. As well as the katana from home. You know the basics of what we're supposed be doing today, any idea on how we're supposed to achieve it?"

"Yea, we're imbuing my katana with my spark, so that way it can be an extension of my powers, and after that, I can actually learn how to summon the weapon to me. Wait, a present… what for?" Kira asked, looking up from her notes.

"Why can't I have something made for you? Don't have to have a special reason for it." And while the gift was special, Peter was being honest. The only reason he'd had the box made was because he knew she needed it. The sooner she had it made, the better, that's all there was to it, no special reason.

"Can, can I see it now, or do I have to wait?"

Peter chuckled and bent down, picking up the box to hand to her. "Might as well open it now, so you aren't distracted during the lesson."

"Th-thank you, I wasn't expecting… does this have something to do with my Tail?"

"Well, open it and find out."

Slowly Kira stepped closer, hands reaching out to grab the box. With shaky hands, she gripped the wooden box and brought it to her chest. On the lid there was a piece of dark metal with an image of a nine-tailed fox etched onto it. The design was tribal, painted over in white and it reminded Kira of lightning, the way the lines branched off of each other. Her fingers traced the image, "It's beautiful!"

"It took me forever to find the right design for the emblem but with your new aura, I felt like that one was perfect, especially with the color choice," Peter told her.

"New aura, what do you mean?"

"Oh, I never told you about that. You were so caught up with all the Tails- I noticed it last week, after you got your first Tail. Kitsune, as you know, all have an aura, but what I'm sure you're unaware of is that the aura changes over time-"

"It's changed? Changed how? Is that bad?" Kira fired off.

Peter held up a hand, smiling at her, "If it was bad I would have brought it to your attention as soon as I noticed. It's just a natural change. You've seen it before right, can you describe it?"

"I only saw it in pictures but um, it was like this orange light that surrounded me, and it was in the shape of a fox right?"

"Yea, that's the aura of a baby Kitsune, baby in the sense that they haven't yet realized their potential. The spirit has woken up but hasn't achieved anything yet. Now that you are aware of your type and have your first Tail, your Fox spirit has matured, has changed. May I?" Peter asked, pulling his phone out.

"S-sure," Kira stammered out, strangely nervous about seeing her new aura. There was no reason to be nervous but she couldn't help it… her Fox spirit was growing stronger thanks to Peter and Kira wasn't really sure how to repay him. She tilted her head away from the camera, knowing if she looked at him head on, the image would be skewed and hard to see.

Peter quickly snapped a picture and checked to make sure it captured the aura; satisfied, he stepped closer to her so she could see. He smiled as he watched her face light up with awe and wonder, silent as she looked over the picture.

"That's really what it looks like now? My Thunder Fox!"

"Yea, since you're learning more about your powers and have awakened the lightning skills, your aura changed to represent that. As you gain even more Tails, your aura will grow brighter, more vibrant- it's hard to see here but you also have your Tails." Peter pointed out two different white flares over her shoulders, "Those are them."

"You can really tell all of that from my aura? If… If I knew how to look, and Mom wasn't always hiding it… I would be able to tell what kind of Kitsune she is? And what about… her Tails? She gave them up, sacrificed them so would she still have them?"

"Yes, of course. She sacrificed her physical Tails but didn't sacrifice her knowledge of them. Over time, once her spirit gains back enough power, she'll be able to re-manifest her Tails. It isn't an easy process though and it will probably be many years before she even has enough strength to summon one, let alone all nine," Peter answered. "But anyways, that's why I chose the style I did, something to mark your Thunder Kitsune abilities, and not just the Fox spirit- I wanted something specific, just for you. Go ahead and open it."

"Oh yea, right." Kira had been so amazed by the box itself, she forgot that there'd probably be something inside. Slowly Kira lifted the lid, gasping as she realized just what Peter had designed this box for. Inside, the box was lined with cushioned velvet, small pockets specifically sized for her daggers. There were two rows, one (able to hold 5) in the bottom of the box and one (able to hold 4) in the lid. They were positioned so that when the box was closed, the two rows would interlace instead of overlap, and when it was open, all the push daggers faced the same direction. The velvet was snug enough that the Tails wouldn't fall out but that each pocket had slight indents for her fingers right by the handle so she could easily pull them out of the box. The Tail she'd given Peter was already safely tucked into one of the pockets.

"I needed a Tail so that way I could get the size just right. Once I had the velvet sized, I had Deaton make a box with the right dimensions so the velvet would fit perfectly inside. Now you don't have to carry your Tails in your bag, they'll be safe in the box."

"Why do I get the feeling that this box is special?" Kira asked, looking up at Peter.

The Wolf smiled at her, "Probably because it is special. I had Deaton make it out of wood from the Nemeton."

"This… this is made from the same wood as the spiral urn? I thought that was used for special occasions- Derek said that his mother's claws were held in there… before we used it for the Nogitsune…"

"And what makes you think your Tails aren't special?" Peter asked, cupping her cheek. "Your Tails are your most important possession as a Kitsune, they can't just be stored in an ordinary box! I'm sure the box your mother used for hers was made from something special as well. Oak trees hold a special power for Druids here, but I'm sure there is a species of tree in Japan that is just as sacred. But I chose the Nemeton from Beacon Hills because this is the town where you've started earning your Tails."

"Yea, I like that! I didn't mean… I appreciate it, I really do! I just thought that because… I'm not a Druid, that I shouldn't use special wood but, you're right. That tree was special for this town, what better wood to use than some from the Nemeton to symbolize and always remember where my Tails came from. Does Deaton know?"

"No, I only asked him to make the box with the specific dimensions, he didn't see your Tail or even the velvet that was supposed to go inside. I had the same person that made the pockets actually secure them into the box as well as attach the emblem on the top. Go ahead and put your first Tail in here, I want to show you how to secure the box."

Kira handed Peter the box so she could dig through her backpack, easily finding her Tail in the small front pocket where she'd left it. Gingerly she set it in the very first pocket, now she had one in both rows! And if she worked hard, she'd have a third before dinner.

Peter closed the box and held it between them, "Because the Nemeton had an array of magical powers, its wood has the same properties. And because you are a supernatural creature, this wood will respond to your touch. There are various ways to create a lock within a magical box, each depending on the creature that owns the box. For you, all you have to do is touch the metal emblem and push a bit of your spark into it. It will bond with the metal and the wood, creating a seal only you can open. Your Tails will always be protected."

"Oh Peter…" Kira exclaimed, looking up at him. He was going through so much trouble for her- no one had ever showed such interest in her before. It probably hadn't been easy for Peter to convince Deaton to make the box, especially considering that the Wolf wasn't trusted, let alone that the wood was very rare and special. But he did it for her, so she'd have somewhere safe to put her Tails. She never would have thought to ensure such measures; Kira knew she couldn't just carry them all in her backpack forever, but she hadn't come up with a solution yet either. Obviously she wouldn't have stuck them in a tin box but no way would she have been capable of finding a material like this. Kira put her hand over the image of the nine-tailed fox, awakening her spark and letting it ebb into the box. The effect was immediate, the edges of the top and bottom coming together and almost disappearing entirely; if she looked close enough, she could see where the two halves met but otherwise it just looked like a solid piece of wood.

"There, now it's attuned to your touch, no one else can open it once you've sealed it. Your Tails have a home now."

Kira set the box down on her bag and then hugged Peter tightly, wishing she could convey just how much this all meant to her. This was beyond anything Kira had thought his training would include- and to think, she'd originally planned on asking Derek! That idea was laughable now, Derek hadn't known much when it came to fighting the Nogitsune so why had she expected him to be able to help her? But Peter was going above and beyond what she'd expected, how could anyone not realize how great Peter was for the Pack? Clearly he was teaching her to the best of his abilities, making sure she knew about her heritage. If the others just treated him with more kindness...

Peter was surprised by the hug, not used to anyone wanting physical contact, everyone else in the Pack kept their distance. But he returned the hug, kissed her on the top of her head, and rubbed his cheek against her hair. They needed to get to work though, so he only allowed himself a few moments before clearing his throat, "Are you ready for Tail number three then?"

"I was born ready!"

"Let's get to it then." Peter handed her the katana and moved her to the center of their little clearing- they'd need space for this. He positioned himself behind Kira, covering her hands with his own as she held the blade out in front of her. As his body pressed in close, he could feel the Fox relaxing, falling back against him; there was a familiarity between them now. Kira no longer jumped at his touch, although her body did still heat up at his proximity. It was amazing that her nervousness from before was gone, the jumpy Kira from last week had disappeared. Peter would have to see if it was still just as easy to make her blush later. "Okay so imbuing your weapon, how do you think that works?"

"I know that imbuing means to infuse, so I'll be pushing my spark into the katana, allowing it to become bonded with my spark. But I don't know how to do that since… I mean, if I have it in my hands, I can easily make the whole sword light up with lightning. I've been practicing at home, look." Kira carefully ignited her spark (not wanting to harm Peter), letting the energy flow from her hands and onto the metal. Tendrils of the white energy flowed over the katana and then jumped to the ground. "But I know that isn't right, it just doesn't feel like the katana is connected to my spark at all."

Peter smiled, "Well it's good to see some initiative, practicing without me. You're right though, imbuing is much more than just covering your weapons with your element. What you need to do first, is bond with the weapon; you've mastered how to wield it and now you should be able to unlock its inner… essence.

"Swords have essences? If I didn't know for a fact that you rarely watched tv, I'd ask if you've been watching too much anime," Kira kidded, finally letting her spark die down so she could focus on what Peter was telling her.

"Ha, ha. But really, where does a lot of popular anime come from? Japan. Why do you think there is a reoccurring theme in the shows, about how the weapon has a personality, that the weapon and the wielder must be in sync?"

Kira's eyes widened, "It's really a thing?"

"Probably not quite in the way anime portrays it but in a sense, yes. For most people, a knife is just a knife, something sharp they can use to cut, but in the hands of a Kitsune, it is more than that. Because there is a part of you that is 'more than,' Kitsune are able to bond with inanimate objects around them. Think about it? In our modern culture, is fire a living entity, is lightning? No, yet Kitsunes are born with the power to communicate with it, bend it to their will. The same goes for any weapon you learn how to wield; just by holding it in your hands, the sword becomes more than just a sword. The Fox spirit inside you bonds with the essence of the weapon and transforms it- weapons brandished by a Kitsune are magically powered weapons."

"Is that why I had to use this katana to kill the Nogitsune… well I suppose he isn't really dead but… Mom said I had to use this one, because it was special."

"Yes. Normally, any weapon would do, if you'd learned to master it first. But because there was so little time, your mom had you reforge this one, one that already had experience with the Nogitsune, in order to ensure you could achieve your goal. You caught on fast in your training with her, learning how to use the sword, but by no means had you mastered it. The essence of the sword was only half awake but now that you have even more experience wielding it, you can fully awaken it and bond with it. Just… feel it." Peter slowly stepped back from Kira, giving her space to figure it out. He could explain it with words but he had no way of knowing exactly what this part felt like, so it was up to her.

Kira nodded, closing her eyes and concentrating as Peter backed away. Slowly she twirled the sword in her hands, just feeling the weight of it, recognizing how her body flowed to the tune of the sword. It was almost like the katana was telling her body where to go instead of the other way around. In fact, the more Kira concentrated, the more she realized that that was true. So she relaxed her body, opened up her mind, and let the blade dictate her movements. Nothing her mother had ever taught her felt like this, but then again, lessons with her mom were very fast paced. But now Kira knew that the reason she was able to learn so quickly was because the sword already had a bit of her spark inside it, was already in tune with her from when she'd reforged it. She focused on that feeling, of how the blade was a part of her, an extension of herself; finally she spun around and opened her eyes, "I think… I think I found it, I'm not sure- how can I tell?"

"Well, let's try moving onto the next step- send some of your spark into the weapon. Just let it pass from your hands to the weapon- not over it like before, _into_ it. It might take a second, but you'll know the minute you succeed." Peter approached her, knowing that his touch helped awaken her spark; he settled behind her again, hands on her hips. He watched as her hands sparked once more, only this time she didn't let the electricity pass onto the blade. Moments passed and then suddenly Kira's sword lit up, a burst of energy flowing from her and the sword, the lightning disappearing from her hands as it was absorbed.

"Whoa?! I… I did it!" Kira exclaimed as she opened her eyes, seeing her katana glowing as the last of the energy disappeared. Slowly it dimmed, returning to its usual look, but there was an air of power surrounding the katana now, letting them both know they hadn't imagined it.

"Now to use it, let the power just flow through you, see what happens," Peter suggested, amazed at seeing this with Kira. He'd seen one other Kitsune wield a weapon in this state but it was a River Kitsune (Hanako's father) so it was with water instead and it wasn't nearly as magnificent. There was just something about her electricity that fascinated him.

The Kitsune amped up her power, reigniting the glow in the katana; as the power built up, the blade came to life with tendrils of lightning shooting off here and there. She swung her sword, sweeping it over her head and shoulders, spinning with a flourish before digging the blade into a nearby tree. As soon as the metal hit the bark, there was an explosion, huge arcs of electricity emanating from the strike. Kira panted as the energy died down, showing off a rather impressive dent in the side of the tree. Her hands fell to her sides, barely managing to keep a grip on the sword as her power drained from her.

"That was impressive! Although it looks like it took a lot out of you. It might take some time to learn how to adjust the power you put into it. That's what practice is for though. Plus you aren't used to sending out your energy in that form just yet, it's like working out a new muscle- it takes time to get used to it before the soreness goes away."

"And this isn't even the part that gets me my Tail is it? I have to master the summoning too right?" Kira asked, leaning the sword against the tree so she could shake out her arms.

"Correct, the first part is necessary in order to learn the next part. Otherwise one could technically argue that this Tail is too similar to just learning how to manipulate FoxFire. Although in all honesty, you'll probably use just this first portion of the power more often than the actual summoning part, both are necessary for the Tail."

"Gotcha. And yea, I'd say this Tail was too easy if it was only the first part. Obviously it's a little different since, I was manipulating my FoxFire beforehand, when I just had it running over the blade. Now it's imbued and it reacts differently, has a mind of its own and is more natural- I can feel the change," Kira panted out. She was still working on getting her energy built up again, but she was ready to at least listen. "So how exactly does the summoning part work? I know last week I asked if it was kinda like a magnet thing and you laughed. I had just thought magnet since… Thunder type, but then I realized later that this is something every type can do so of course it wouldn't be magnetic."

"This is the complicated part, and I can only really explain in the same way it was told to me. Now that you have bonded a portion of your power with that weapon, you are infinitely more aware of it. Same goes for the box, if you concentrate, you will always know where the items are because they are tied to you. And because you have that awareness, you can call the weapon to you, whenever you want-"

"Wait, how far away are we talking? I know you haven't explained the' how' yet so I'm still picturing this kind of telekinetic floating sword just moving across a room... Does it have to be within line of sight or…?" Kira interrupted, having trouble comprehending just how this was supposed to work.

"Even further than across a room, the Kitsune who taught me about the Tails was able to summon her bagh naka from 50 yards away, while being in a completely different building. So obviously that also means it isn't based on line of sight. It takes a lot of control and focus, and the less familiar you are with the weapon, the harder it is of course. So since you've practiced a lot with this katana, and since it's the first weapon you've tied to your spark, you'll be able to call that weapon faster, further, than other subsequent weapons."

Kira's jaw dropped, "I…I can learn to do something like that? And with multiple weapons?"

"Yes, with as many weapons as your spark can handle. I can sense a huge amount of power within you, if you keep up this pace, I know we could make you more powerful than my friend, and she was 650 years old. And the more you practice, the further away from your weapon you can be- as far as I know, there is no limit. A Kitsune will have a personal limit of course, of just how far they can summon from, but there isn't a universal limit that I'm aware of, one that a Kitsune is unable to pass. So there is always room for improvement, always a reason to keep training."

Kira was giving Peter such a big smile that her cheeks were hurting, she never would've known how powerful she was if it wasn't for him. Already, she could feel her power and control growing stronger, the vibrant energy flowing just beneath the surface. Hell, this was already her third lesson and, despite being tired, she was still conscious. That was already a very marked improvement from how worn out she'd been at earning her first Tail. Kira reminded herself that she still had the hard part to learn, but she was sure that she'd manage to stay awake this time. This one was harder, more taxing, than learning how to heal, but because she now had two Tails under her belt, Kira could feel her energy rebounding a lot faster than before. "This is unbelievable! I mean… last year I thought stuff like this was only in movies or books and now here I am, being taught how to throw around balls of electricity by a Werewolf! I just keep feeling like I'll wake up and all of this will have been a dream- it doesn't feel real!"

The Wolf smirked at her, stepping closer, "Well then, you definitely have some naughty dreams. Do you often think about older men having their way with you?" To punctuate his point, Peter lifted her up, hands squeezing her ass as he kissed her. Carefully he walked them over to the tree, letting her back rest against it so his hands could move up her sides. As Kira moaned and wrapped her legs around him, he slid his hands under her shirt, deft fingers easily unclasping her bra.

She pulled away a bit, turning to nibble on Peter's earlobe, "Only since I've met you," she whispered. It was easy to admit that Peter had taken over her fantasies, probably for longer than the Wolf may have realized. But it wasn't just a fantasy anymore, not even her wildest dreams could conjure up feelings like this. The way his touch warmed her skin, leaving trails of heat up and down her sides as his hands roamed. Impatiently Kira reached down and tugged her arms free of her bra straps and let the piece of fabric fall from her shirt, needing him to touch her more intimately. Of course he didn't disappoint, large hands coming up to gently cup and massage her breasts She moaned as Peter bit down on her neck, his growl loud in her ears; when he started to rock his hips, bite turning into sucking, her moans turned into keening whimpers. "Peter, please…" she whined, legs tightening around him so she could grind down on him.

"As much as I'd love to just Claim you right here, I'm more of a gentleman than that," Peter mumbled, growling in satisfaction at the purple mark he'd left on her neck.

"I don't care about gentlemanly," Kira argued, biting down on his ear harder to make a point, one hand tangled in his hair.

Peter moaned, hands starting to lift her shirt, "We can't, not here."

"Why not?" she pushed, arching her back to encourage his hands more, wanting her shirt off.

"Because we aren't that far from the school, if Scott or any of the others decide to listen, they might hear your screams," Peter commented. He smirked against her throat as the scent of her arousal grew even stronger, his words having the right affect on her.

"You plan on making me scream then?" Kira asked. She tried to sound coy but even she heard the flutter in her voice, the tremble of want.

"Oh baby-doll, if I'm not making you scream then I'm not doing my job," Peter promised.

Kira just about melted in his arms, had he just… oh that had a stronger effect on her than when he'd called her a 'good girl' the other day. Apparently she was an absolute sucker for pet names… Not to mention the assurance of mind blowing sex. She was a mess and it was all his fault; Peter knew exactly what he was doing.

The Wolf continued to nip and suck at her neck, buying himself some time to cool down a bit; as much as he wanted her now, Peter also couldn't help but tease. He wanted to push both of them to their limits, see who would break first, because that would make it all the more exciting when they finally gave in. "Besides, it was a close enough call when Derek came back into the loft the other night."

"What do you mean?"

"Derek has Wolf senses, he totally picked up on the fact that someone had gotten a little frisky-"

"He knows?!" Kira asked, back straightening so she could look at Peter's face.

"No, not about us. Derek, bless his dense little brain, mumbled something about needing to have a serious talk with Scott, about how his loft isn't an orgy den. Apparently he's so used to my scent being there, coupled with the fact that he has no reason to suspect that we are spending time together, he thought Scott was the culprit." Peter of course didn't mention that he'd almost snapped when he heard his nephew say that. Scott, touching Kira? Over his dead body maybe, and everyone in the Pack knew just how hard it was to kill Peter. The only reason he'd managed to abstain from saying anything was because he knew that their secret was more important than his ego right then. Which was a big surprise to him as well.

The Kitsune sagged with relief, "For a moment there I thought I'd be going home to my death. If Derek found out I'm sure he'd tell Mom and Mom would kill me…"

"No one will hurt you," he promised, kissing her possessively on the lips. They needed a change of topic though, a much safer subject, "How about we finish working on your Tail?"

"If we have to," Kira sighed, not untangling her legs from around his waist. She was more than content to just be in his arms, sad that they couldn't do this more often. Especially if Derek had come close to figuring it all out, just because she couldn't rein herself in. "I'm not ready to let go, so you explain it to me while I try and gather my wits." At least all of her energy was back and thrumming again, now she just needed to get her head focused, as well as her hormones.

"Well next, you're going to want to focus on your awareness of the sword, strengthen the tie you have to it. What you'll start off doing is just practice waking up the spark while the sword isn't in your hands."

"Oh, so I'll be able to light it up even when I'm not holding it?"

"Yup. It might be hard at first, since it's easiest to feel the tie when you're physically holding the weapon but-" He was interrupted as Kira giggled and he felt the air around them come alive. Peter turned, seeing that Kira was already powering up the katana from a few feet away as it lie on the ground. "Smart ass," he chuckled, squeezing her side.

"I just wanted to see if I could. I've spent a lot of time with this sword so I'm not surprised I can already do this part. And just by fluctuating the power, I can feel the tie flexing, getting stronger; it's like you said, a muscle that I need to work and make stronger."

"Well, here, hop down and go pick it up, if you're so ready to move on."

Kira sighed but did as she was told, climbing off of the Wolf and retrieving her weapon. "I'm totally calling for a rain check mister! I totally expect some of this awesome sex sometime in the future." Wait, had she just said that? Out loud?! Wow her filter really wasn't working right now! And the wink Peter gave her did nothing to help her focus.

"Bond with the weapon some more, like you did earlier; you need to be acutely aware of the katana before we can move on to the last part."

"Gotcha." She twirled the katana around a bit, just letting some of her spark pour into it, watching as electricity shot off here and there. It was intriguing to see the blade start to glow and emit energy, her lightning flowing into the weapon seamlessly. As she just spun around, she could feel her tie with the sword grow even more. She continued to twirl and as she moved around, she felt her awareness shift, Peter faded from her senses as she focused on her katana. With all the time Kira had spent with this sword already, it was only minutes before she felt like she'd reached the point Peter was telling her about. "I'm ready now, I can feel it. I have totally achieved 'one-ness' with this sword."

"If you're sure, go put it by the tree and step away- make sure to turn the spark off first. Then just… call it to you."

Kira nodded, pulling the electricity back into herself before leaning it against the tree and taking a few steps back. She turned to Peter, waiting silently for his instructions.

"We'll start simple, step by step instead of trying to create the whole process on the first go. Try to create a spark in the sword from this distance."

"Easy!" Kira laughed, knowing that this step would be child's play hadn't she already done that? She could probably start up the spark from even 15 feet away- she could feel that that was her limit right now, and she was maybe three feet away. Her eyes started to glow as she ignited the spark in her katana, little arcs shooting off of the blade.

Peter grinned, "Now the tricky part; this is the hardest step to explain, but once you learn step two, step three comes easy. You need to use your Thunder powers to create a portal between your hand and the weapon."

"Ummm… excuse me?" she paused, not really sure how to do that. The electricity in her sword died out as she completely lost her focus. "How exactly? Please tell me I get a hint or something…"

"Again, I can only go off of what I was told but basically you need to connect the spark in your body with the spark you put into the katana- create a pathway. The third step is pulling the weapon through that portal and into your hand, hence why once it's open, the summoning is easy."

Kira sucked in a breath- that sounded kind of hard; she got the gist of the explanation though… it was just the actual 'doing' part that was going to be a challenge. No way to figure it out except to start trying though. So she narrowed her eyes and concentrated, turning the spark back on in her sword. And since Peter had mentioned pulling it to her hand, she pooled her spark into her hand as well. But then she felt stuck… She wasn't a big science nerd… How did someone create a portal?

"Need some assistance? I might be able to help you figure it out, even though I have never personally experienced creating something like that," Peter offered.

"No, not yet…" Kira decided to just go with her intuition, she was a Kitsune after all. She didn't need a degree in theoretical physics for this. Instead of focusing on making the portal, Kira would just focus on pulling the weapon to her, maybe that would be enough. After a few minutes of concentrating, she could feel that the katana wanted to come to her but it was having trouble. The bond was there but her grasp of the ability wasn't strong enough. She turned to Peter, "Attack me."

"You really like to order me around, don't you?" Peter smirked. This was the second time she'd just blindsided him with that phrase, and here he'd been afraid of hurting her.

"I just think that I need to jumpstart the portal. If I feel like I'm in danger that will help me. You mentioned the need to 'jumpstart' the spark, how the thought of me being in danger would trigger my healing. If the jump in adrenaline helps with healing, then it probably helps with this too."

Peter nodded in understanding, her logic was sound enough. It wasn't exactly the assistance he'd been thinking of a few minutes ago but it worked. They squared off, the Wolf with his claws out and the Kitsune weaponless; if this didn't help her figure out the summoning part, what would? He leapt at her, claws arcing through the air; he was starting off slow since they had only sparred once, for a few minutes.

Kira easily dodged, reading his slower movements, flipping back and kicking at him. She recognized that he was starting her off on a slow pace since she didn't have that much experience with his fighting style yet. It was a nice gesture on his end but Kira knew it wouldn't last long. Plus she couldn't exactly manipulate her FoxFire like before, not when she was trying to concentrate on pulling her weapon to her hand. Peter was relentless in his attacks, never giving her a chance to go on the offensive, keeping her on edge. Kira dodged and kicked, all the while trying to pull her weapon to her, needing to keep her hands free. Occasionally she felt his claws touch her skin but they never drew blood, both of them knowing that she would lose concentration if she had to heal.

Slowly, Peter picked up the pace, only when he was certain she was keeping up with his attack pattern. Then, because he knew she was looking for a push, he ran at her, one hand lightly circling around her neck as he did a leg sweep. His free arm snaked around her middle, slowing her down as he pretended to slam her onto the forest floor. Her eyes widened at the bolder attack but she just went with it, legs kicking up and knocking him away, momentum pulling her into a backwards somersault. As she leapt to her feet, she spun in a circle, arm out as though she had her katana; Kira envisioned it swinging into her opponent, that she needed her katana to even stand a chance against this enemy. As she swung, she suddenly felt something solid in her hand- her sword! Abruptly she stopped her movement, sword's edge just inches away from Peter's neck. Both of them were panting, having exerted more energy than they'd realized in that short exchange.

"I… I did it!" Kira exclaimed, jumping into the air, dropping the sword from its precarious position. "It worked! I don't even know how… I didn't focus on step two, only on step three."

Peter laughed, "I'm glad you were able to stop at such short notice, you were moving pretty fast, I would have had trouble dodging that one." He'd seen the blade appear out of nowhere but had been committed to his attack. He would've had to sacrifice his arm in order to save his neck, but Kira had stopped before he'd even been able to bring his arm up.

"That… that was amazing… I'm not even sure I can do it again, I'm just wiped out. But I did it! Maybe after I've rested I can try again." Then Kira collapsed onto her knees, the katana's tip sinking into the ground, wow she was exhausted. As she sat there, she replayed those moments in her head, pinpointing exactly when she felt the weight of the hilt appear in her hands. And thank goodness she had amazing reflexes, had managed to halt her momentum on a dime so Peter didn't get hurt.

"Why don't you check the box?" Peter called out, interrupting her thoughts. The Wolf had dropped down onto the ground as well, resting as the adrenaline left his body.

"Box? You think I got my Tail?"

"I think it's safe to say that you summoned your weapon into your hand, which is what the Tail is for. Maybe you haven't totally mastered it yet but, you still completed the task. If the box was made right, your new Tail should have appeared in the third pocket."

Kira crawled over to the box, scrounging up a bit of her spark to unlock the box. She hesitated for just a second before lifting the lid, squealing when she saw a third push dagger. "We did it! I mean, I'm totally going to practice more, once I get my strength back but we did it! By the time I go home tonight, I'll be able to summon my katana in an instant, just watch!"

"Good, you're setting goals for yourself, keep it up. I don't want to see you getting complacent, ready to move on to the next thing even though you just barely understand this one," Peter encouraged.

"Yea, that's what I plan on doing in between our training sessions. I haven't really worked on my healing since I haven't really gotten hurt that much lately but instead I've been focusing on my FoxFire. I can form some pretty strong lightning orbs now and even move them around my room instead of just throwing them in a straight line. Plus, like I showed you earlier, I had practiced with moving my FoxFire over my weapon. Now I have something new to practice while everyone else is busy…" Kira's tone grew sad. The boys were all still busy with lacrosse and the girls loved to watch them play, but Kira didn't feel like she belonged in the bleachers. Scott never asked her to go, just expected her to be there… and here she was, trying to grow stronger so she could help protect them all the next time a threat appeared… Was this how Peter felt all the time?

"Hey, chin up. You're making amazing progress, who cares if no one else but me is around to see it right now. At least you have the drive to get better! Do you know how often Scott trains a week, trying to hone his Wolf abilities?"

"Um…"

"He doesn't. At all. He spends all his time focusing on lacrosse and school. Okay, maybe school is important, but lacrosse? He's got the red eyes of an Alpha but he doesn't have the mentality of one. Have you ever seen him train with Isaac? Or how about Allison and Stiles? Allison trains with her father all the time, is an expert at wielding those weapons of hers but if she doesn't have any practical experience in fighting against a Were, she's only going to get hurt again. And Stiles! Stiles is a Human, he's beyond fragile! Scott has done nothing to help train him, because he thinks the only way to make Stiles stronger is to give him the Bite, which of course the boy doesn't want. Even Isaac needs the training, the poor kid thinks he's hot shit and doesn't understand that he has all the skills of a pup. Derek would do it but he doesn't want to step on Scott's toes, he feels like if he just starts teaching Isaac again, Scott would take offense. At least when Derek was the Alpha, he trained his Betas, every night. You'd think the debacle with the Alpha Pack would have really proved to them that they need to get better, driven the point through their thick skulls. But instead Scott is determined to rely on his dumb luck and 'everyone is a good person' attitude." Seriously, Scott needed to get off his high horse and actually learn how to spill some blood, teach the rest of the Pack how to as well. Wait, maybe Allison should be the one teaching them, she had some experience with being bloodthirsty.

"If Scott isn't training the Pack, then how do you stay so strong?" Kira asked. The Kitsune definitely felt like she'd had her head in the sand this entire time- how had she never noticed? Sure, her family had only been here a little while but in all that time, the Pack only fought when there had been a threat in the area. It was just like Peter described, none of them ever practiced... Even her mom had her practice with the weapons if not her Thunder abilities...

"Oh please, even if Scott was training them, I wouldn't be included in that. I've kept in touch with Deucalion, he needs the practice as well since his Pack is gone. Ethan never went back to him, which, I don't blame him. Deucalion doesn't want to lose his edge, just like I don't, so we struck up a deal."

Kira's eyes widened, "You're training with Deucalion?" She hadn't been here for the fight with the insane Alpha and his Pack but she had heard all about it. Stiles was one to embellish a bit but not Isaac, and if even half of what Isaac had told her was true…

"Of course I am, I can't depend on Scott to give me a challenge. Derek at least continues to push himself, it's not going to help him get any stronger but at least he won't get weaker. But you, you're better than all of them Kira- you're actively deciding you want to be stronger and you're working at it! Some people might have given up if their parents decided not to teach them about their powers, or if they had an Alpha that couldn't care less. But not you, you went searching for help and now you're learning more about your Kitsune spirit every day."

"Damn straight!" Kira cheered. She wasn't the type to sit around and do nothing, not when she had this whole new world to learn about! So just like that, the Fox jumped to her feet and grabbed her sword again. "I'm ready to try again."

By the time the two of them were done, the sky was turning red and they couldn't even stand. But Kira was able to successfully summon her sword from about 10 feet away without the need of an adrenaline rush. And she was even able to pull it from Peter's hands within 3 feet. All in all, Kira would call this a very successful day! Now it was time to go home though, and Kira was just too tired to move. The knowledge that she was going to be grounded when she got home wasn't a very good motivator either… As soon as school had let out, her dad had called her, wondering just where the hell she was. She'd lied of course, mentioning that she was just feeling overwhelmed and had skipped to go to the mall for the day. "Guess I can't avoid home forever," she finally sighed, getting to her feet.

"I'll take your katana, drop it off later so your parents don't see it," Peter commented. Kira tossed him the sheath and bent down to grab her bag, gently setting her new box inside. He smirked to himself, picking something up off the ground, "Oh, don't forget this."

"Forget what?" Kira asked, turning around. She turned red when she saw that Peter was twirling her bra around on his finger. She fumbled for it when he tossed it to her, stuffing it in her bag as well. How had she forgotten to put that back on? Good thing he found it or else she'd die of embarrassment later when she realized that she'd left it on the ground out here.

"Come on baby-doll, I'll give you a ride."

There it was again, the pet name, wow her heart was jumping in her chest; she could listen to him call her that all day. Kira jumped on Peter's back, pleading with him to carry her, complaining about being too tired. But really, she just wanted to be close to him, wanted to stay covered in his scent. It wasn't like Mom ever used her Fox senses anyways, she wouldn't pick up on it. And she'd be showering before she saw anyone from the Pack so it didn't matter. This was her time with Peter and she was going to enjoy it. "Hey Peter, thank you, for everything."

"Of course, I'm more than happy to help you. Like I said, we're Pack."

"We're also… more than that right?" Kira whispered, hooking her chin over his shoulder.

"Most definitely," he assured her. "You're mine now and in time, I'm going to make sure everyone knows it. But your Tails are more important right now."

"Yea, we have to keep it on the down-low or else they'll try and stop me from seeing you," Kira said. "I just… wanted to hear you say it." Her heart was fluttering again, inexplicably excited about the way Peter had phrased it. Shouldn't the concept of being 'owned' scare her? It didn't though… maybe it was because they were more than Human. Surely their extra perceptions tied into how relationships worked, the need to scent and mark their significant other. She'd seen the signs of it with Scott and Allison, how he was finding it hard to let her go, having trouble accepting that her and Isaac seemed to be getting close. That had to be because of the Wolf inside him; Peter had a Wolf too, one that didn't want to let her go. And Kira's Fox was okay with that, it was almost like her inner spirit was preening with satisfaction. Peter was a good choice and she'd do whatever it took to keep him.

When Peter finally let her down so she could get into the car, he was satisfied with the fact that she was okay with his Claim. She wasn't a Wolf, although she wasn't Human either, but there had been a chance that she'd react negatively to his statement. Which was exactly why he'd been so blunt about it, he wasn't going to pretend this was something it wasn't. Peter didn't want a girlfriend, didn't have time to win over a shy girl with dating, he wanted her, specifically, it was primal. As they drove to her house, Kira seemed to glow despite her evident exhaustion, she was beautiful. When he parked the car around the corner from her house, Peter pulled her in for another kiss. "Text me when you have access to your phone, that way I'll know it's safe to contact you. We'll figure out a time to meet again."

"Sounds good. I'll have my phone back by Monday at the latest," Kira answered, leaning over to chase after his lips. Her hands held the back of his neck and she pressed kisses along his jaw, the only thing stopping her from crawling into his lap was her seat belt. "Come see me soon, please," she whispered.

"I will."

Happy, Kira finally climbed out of the car and grabbed her bag, jogging towards her house. Even if they couldn't find time to train right away, Kira wanted to see more of Peter, needed more of him. As long as he was on her side, Kira could handle whatever her parents would try to do, because she knew that he wouldn't let a small thing like her being grounded stop him. He was a Wolf of action! With him on her mind, she couldn't keep the smile off her face, even as her parents stepped into the hallway.

"Living room, now!" Noshiko ordered.

* * *

A/N: I'm getting closer to revealing the true depth of their feeeeeelings ;) I've had a plan this whole time for the "why" of exactly what Peter and Kira are feeling. Something that I've alluded to with mentioning how Peter was confused by his attraction and whatnot. It's just a slight spin on the relationship, and it's nothing bad at all, just something I think fits in with Kira's Fox spirit. The next chapter will be a direct continuation from this one so it will focus more on Kira and her parents at first, although of course I can't /not/ have some Peter interaction there lol


	5. We Need to Talk

A/N: Soooooo sorry for the late update! I've been wanting to write for this story (and all my others) but I've been busy during the day and at night I stream so I don't have time then. But, update =D This one is kinda short but that's because I'm fully planning on writing something for both Saturday and Sunday and I felt like this would be a good place to end chapter 5.

Because I don't want Kira and her mom to have a strained/bad relationship, I found a way to at least kinda work things out XD Of course Noshiko is still in the dark about some stuff -cough cough- and she doesn't entirely trust Peter... (duh, of course she isn't just going to trust him hahaha). I think it all fits without being too weird or ooc for them. Enjoy =D

* * *

"Living room, now!" Noshiko ordered.

Kira sighed but dutifully went into the living room, her parents following her. "How bad am I grounded?"

"What did you buy? And what is so stressful about classes that made you decide to skip?" Noshiko asked, dangerous look on her face.

"I didn't buy anything! Do you see any shopping bags? I just needed…" Kira paused. Technically she hadn't actually gone shopping, she just wanted to spend time with Peter but… "I can't watch Allison pick through her lunch because most of it she can't eat, I can't just sit there and watch Stiles pretend like everything is fine when he's obviously troubled. He remembers, Mom, all of it. I can't imagine how it would feel to see yourself doing all these terrible things- killing people, and not having any control over it. To be helpless as something else controls your body and makes you do things! And Scott! Scott is just playing lacrosse like nothing is wrong! Like his best friend wasn't possessed and nearly died, like we didn't lose Aiden! I can't keep pretending! I just needed space!"

"Let me see your bag then," Noshiko ordered.

Kira glared, "You don't believe me? You think I just frivolously went to the mall to spend money?" Even if the shopping part was a lie, the feelings she just confessed to were all true, it was bothering her. Which is why she enjoyed her time with Peter, it was an escape.

"No, I believe that you are feeling overwhelmed, but your bag still looks way too full. It wouldn't be the first time you've compulsively spent money. So let me see how much damage you did. I might just take away your card."

"I didn't buy anything," Kira stated, handing her backpack over. She crossed her arms and scowled, remembering too late that she did have something in her bag. The box… Her dad pulled it out with a surprised look on his face.

"So you stole this then?" he asked.

"No!"

"But you just said you didn't buy anything… so that means you stole it," he mentioned. "Or you lied."

"I didn't do either of those things! That was a gift- it's special!"

Noshiko took a closer look at the box, seeing the faint lines of the lid, realizing it was a very well made box. "Let me see it," she mumbled, reaching out to grab it. As soon as she touched it, Noshiko knew what it was, but seeing the fox emblem on it left no doubt in her mind. Sharply she looked up, eyes glowing orange.

In that moment, Kira knew that her mother had figured it out and she wished that Peter had thought to teach her how to conceal her aura. But as soon as she thought that, she cast it aside- so what if Mom knew?! Her chin jutted out as she stared at her mom defiantly, knowing that she was seeing just how much her aura has changed.

"Who?"

"Who what?"

Noshiko's eyes flared brighter in anger, "Do not sass me, this isn't the time for games. Who has been teaching you? Who gave you this box?"

"How many," her father asked quietly, hands moving to lift the lid.

"Don't bother, she's sealed it," Noshiko told him. "But her aura has three Tails so I'm sure that means there are three in here."

Kira nodded, "That's right, I've already earned three of my Tails- no thanks to you!"

"This isn't how Kitsune are supposed to learn! It's too soon!"

"That's crap Mom! I know all about the fears you were raised with. How you think teenagers can't wield all this power responsibly! But the Nogitsune that possessed Stiles was a thousand years old! He still abused his own Void powers! I don't want to get strong for me- I want to get stronger so I can protect my friends! If you'd just taught me something about what I am then maybe Aiden wouldn't have died!"

"Aiden shouldn't have been fighting the Oni!"

"It wasn't his fault, don't you blame him for his own death! We were all just trying to protect our friends, our Pack! I-"

Noshiko scoffed, "Kitsune don't 'Pack' Kira! Only Wolves make groups together."

"I'm a part of Scott's Pack! Whether you like it or not, he accepted me! They aren't all Wolves Mom- Lydia is a Banshee and Stiles is Human. Hell, Allison is technically a Hunter and yet she's a part of the Pack, so I can be too! And since I'm Pack, I'm going to do everything I can to help them fight whatever comes to Beacon Hills! I'm getting stronger Mom and you can't stop me- you have no reason to stop me. I'm not going to turn into a Nogitsune!"

"Kira, you can't just learn your Tails on your own! Someone has to teach you, or else you'll risk learning it the wrong way."

"Please, listen to your mother," Mr. Yukimura pleaded.

"Then why hasn't she even tried to teach me about my Tails? Hell, I'm willing to bet that the only reason she even taught me how to use a katana was because she didn't want to Oni to kill me. Otherwise she's taught me nothing- that isn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair," Noshiko stated. "Tell your boyfriend that just because he's a True Alpha, doesn't mean he knows anything about Kitsune!"

Kira flushed, "Scott isn't my boyfriend… and he isn't the one teaching me."

"So you are being taught… I can't decide what's worse, trying to be a self-learned Kitsune, or being taught by someone who isn't a Kitsune. Both have disastrous effects on your powers."

"Says who? I think I'm learning just fine! I have three Tails don't I? That means I've learned how to use three of my nine powers!"

Noshiko took a breath, lowered her voice. "But that doesn't mean you're learning them the right way… If the one teaching you has… dark motives, they can train you into being their weapon, they can manipulate your powers into something awful. Even if you don't mean to, you can become a Nogitsune by someone else's design. And even if they don't have bad motives, if they know nothing about what it means to be a Kitsune, you can skew the balance between you and the Fox- it isn't safe."

"No, Peter wouldn't do that," Kira cried out, shaking her head. "He knows what he's doing."

"Peter? Peter is the one teaching you? Kira, what have you done?"

"I just wanted to learn! Mom, he knows all about us- he isn't teaching me the wrong way at all! I promise!"

"You know nothing! Out of all the supernatural creatures in town, you go to Peter?!"

The young Kitsune pouted, "There is nothing wrong with Peter's methods! I'm learning just fine- I mean, I've only had three sessions with him and I've gained a Tail each time so far!"

"And what exactly is he teaching you about them? It isn't natural that you are learning so fast, Tails are hard to master. Clearly he's throwing off the balance!"

"I don't… he's just teaching me how to understand my powers… he isn't doing anything sneaky or underhanded Mom. He knows how important balance is… he isn't messing it up."

"I don't know what tricks he used to convince you but they won't work on me! He's manipulating you, that's what he does. I know Scott has told you the stories of his past. An older man has no reason to be hanging around a teenage girl- he has some sort of motive Kira. Did he tell you about how Kitsunes repay kindness? Tell me, have you felt the urge of doing something for Peter, get the feeling that you owe him some kind of favor?" At the guilty look on her daughter's face, Noshiko knew she'd guessed right. "If he has such good intentions, why wasn't he up front about it? And don't pretend that he doesn't know about it, I guarantee that he knows how you feel compelled to owe him. He'll come to collect one day Kira, and you might not like the results. Go to your room, we'll talk more later."

Kira held out a hand for the box, if she was going to be confined to her room, she'd be taking her Tails with her. Peter wasn't like that at all! Maybe… maybe her and Peter were getting a little intimate but it wasn't like that. The Wolf had always remained appropriate, it was her that couldn't control her hormones; she was the one that pushed for it to be more, not him. So she owed him a favor, that wasn't a bad thing, Peter wouldn't abuse it- abuse her.

"I will be holding onto these I think. You don't know enough about your Tails yet."

"Those are mine! You always say that our Tails are our most important possessions. That means they belong with me…" Kira frowned as her mother just repeated for her to go to her room. She grabbed her bag and grit her teeth, it wasn't right! As she started for the stairs, Peter's words echoed in her head, she should be able to call the box to her just like the katana- it had some of her spark in it! So she turned back to her parents and focused on the box, easily awakening the spark from a few feet away and then with some concentration she compelled it into her hands. "These are mine which means they shouldn't be in anyone's possession but my own."

Noshiko gaped at her daughter as she disappeared upstairs. She already knew how to summon? And out of another person's hands? She'd have to see just what else Kira was capable of, but first she needed to talk with Peter. She was way too young to be wielding this much power; it was too much too fast. "Ken, make sure she doesn't leave… I'm going to go find Peter and tell him to back off."

Mr. Yukimura sighed as his wife left the house, all of this was more than they'd bargained for when they moved here. He'd die before he let his daughter turn into a Nogitsune though, and he knew Noshiko felt the same way.

*Loft*

The door to the loft banged open, startling the Wolves that were in the room. Peter smirked when he saw Noshiko; Kira had managed to text him, warning him that her mom was looking for him. It was a little sooner than he had anticipated but, well, it was inevitable. He just hoped that she'd keep it private, not have the conversation in front of Derek and Scott.

"Peter! May I speak with you, outside?" Noshiko demanded, not even sparing a glance towards the other two.

"Certainly."

"Mrs. Yukimura?" Scott asked, looking between her and Peter.

But she held up a hand, stopping any further questions, "This is between me and him."

With that, the two of them left, taking the elevator back down to the parking lot. As angry as Noshiko was with Peter, she knew he'd be more forthcoming if they spoke in private, not in front of others. Scott and Derek were mistrustful of Peter so he'd paint the situation in a light that did the least damage; with her, she was hoping he'd be a little more truthful. They went and stood by her car, Noshiko's arms crossed, he had better not try to lie to her.

"So Noshiko, what exactly-"

"Cut the crap! You know why I'm here! It was only a matter of time before I found out my daughter was earning her Tails," she spat out in a whisper. Even though they were out in the parking lot, she knew if she raised her voice too much, Scott and Derek would still hear. "I want to know just what your intentions are!"

"I want to teach her, I don't understand why you're upset about this…"

"Because you're a liar and a manipulator and I won't let my daughter fall into your clutches."

Well it was too late for that, but he wasn't doing this for the reasons Noshiko thought. "I'm not manipulating her, I'm just teaching her. She came to the loft, begging for information. Noshiko, I was shocked at just how little she knew about her own heritage. I'm a Wolf, and Wolves always teach the pups how to survive; I felt compelled to help her. Don't you think it's sad that a Wolf knew more about her Tails, her heritage, than she did? Was I supposed to turn her away?"

"And just what do you know about our Tails? You're a Wolf, an American at that!" Noshiko accused.

"I traveled all over Europe and Asia when I was younger, I stayed with a Kitsune family while I was in Japan. They told me a lot, it was a mutual trade of information- I was there as a Hale Pack representative. So I'm not entirely clueless when it comes to your kind, actually I think I know a lot."

"And I'm sure that was when you learned about our nature regarding favors?"

Peter smirked, "I knew about that before I even approached the family- saved their youngest child from drowning. Purely coincidence I assure you." The Kitsune scoffed, she didn't believe him of course. Not that it mattered, the child hadn't been harmed and Peter got all the information he'd needed. "Why do you have an issue with Kira learning?"

"I have an issue with you being the one to teach her!"

"Then you should have taught her yourself," Peter shot back, tired of the games. "I'm not going to manipulate Kira into doing something she doesn't want to do. Yes, technically she feels like she owes me a favor but I don't actually have an ulterior motive. When she came to me, looking for information, I wanted to help. And then she realized that I could actually teach her instead of just tell her about everything."

"Then tell me how exactly you plan on having her do for you."

Peter shrugged, "I just said, I don't really know. Maybe I'll save the favor for the next time Beacon Hills is under attack, have her help keep me alive. What exactly are you worried I'd have her do?"

"I know your type, I know that you are driven by revenge and your need for power. Maybe you'd have her betray Scott, lure him into a trap. Everyone can see that they have feelings for each other, so it wouldn't be hard to manipulate the Alpha through her. Kira doesn't need to get caught up in Pack drama!"

"Whether you like it or not, Kira considers herself as a member of Scott's Pack, all of us consider her a member. Scott's Pack isn't just for Wolves, Stiles, Allison, they're Humans- hell, Lydia is a Banshee! It might not be typical but nothing about our precious True Alpha is typical," Peter sneered. He didn't try to hide his disdain, she knew the truth anyways. "And here's some information for you, even if I did lure Scott into a trap, with or without Kira's help… he's a True Alpha, I can't steal his power just by killing him. It doesn't work that way. So I have no reason to kill Scott… He still needs to pay for his help in trying to kill me, for disobeying me when I was _his_ Alpha, but that's between me and Scott. I promise I won't include your daughter in my revenge."

Noshiko narrowed her eyes, looked Peter over carefully. "I can't trust you…" Kira had made the same point about Scott's Pack, used those same three as an example and almost in the same fashion. Surely that was evidence that Peter was somehow manipulating her daughter. Noshiko couldn't prove it but it was too much of a coincidence for the older Kitsune to ignore.

"Doesn't matter if you trust me, the only question I have for you is: are you going to let Kira continue our lessons?"

"I want to say no… but Kira is just as headstrong and stubborn as me. If I try to forbid it, she'll just continue to skip school and seek you out. I could of course offer to take over her lessons… if she chooses to learn from me, will you be okay with that?"

"Like I said, I just wanted to help her, she was desperate to learn more. I had the information she needed and I had no reason to deny her. If she accepts your tutelage instead, that's fine with me. But will you be okay with her choosing to continue with me?" Peter had little doubt about who Kira would choose, their feelings for each other couldn't be ignored.

"No, I wouldn't be okay with it but… I can't stop it either. But I have to make sure you're teaching her the right way- how is Kira accessing her powers?"

"I have no idea… I explained that she needed something similar to our Anchors, something that she can use to awaken her spark on demand. She came to our first lesson with something already in mind, called it a Release. I didn't ask what it was, that's her business. I didn't try and trick her into using… vengeance or revenge as her Release. And Kira isn't the type to use anger of any sort so you probably don't have to worry about that either. Why would that matter anyways?"

"Because, the source of her, Release as she calls it, can directly influence her powers; if she chooses something negative, it will turn her spark into darkness. It's not something Wolves seem to have to worry about, as long the Wolf is under control, use what works. But ours is very spiritual, using a bad 'Anchor' will cause our powers to morph into something dark. When you are teaching her… how do you explain her powers? How have you taught her to access them?"

"First I told her that she just needs to lean on her Kitsune spirit, I know that Kitsune are born with a spirit tied to their soul. They have been dormant all this time but that they are in perfect balance with Kira, they have co-existed all this time after all. Once she realized that she had nothing to fear from her powers, unlike with us Wolves, she was fine. From what I can see, the two of them are growing in-sync with each other, one isn't overpowering the other. The Kitsune isn't trying to overwhelm the Human, trying to take over the body. And Kira isn't forcing the Kitsune to submit, isn't just stealing the powers for her benefit. I know both of those methods will create a Nogitsune and I want to avoid that as much as you do. She isn't too young to be learning Noshiko- I'm letting her choose which Tails she learns, I'm not forcing an agenda on her. Fight with her, let Kira showcase the skills she's learned. You'll see."

"Maybe I will do just that." Noshiko unlocked her car and started to get in the driver's seat. "This isn't over Peter… You haven't won this. I can still tell Scott and Derek what you're doing and they'll help me stop you."

"I'm not the one turning this into a territory issue. Kira just wants to learn- let her! So what if she picks me as her teacher? No reason to get all offended. After all, you're the one that denied her the knowledge in the first place," Peter told her before stepping away from her car. He was just glad that she had decided to keep the others out of this for now. That could change at any time… and Peter needed to have his arguments ready. When he went back up to the loft, Derek and Scott were both looking at him expectantly but Peter ignored them, dropping back down onto the couch to read.

"What was that all about?" Scott asked, realizing that Peter wasn't just going to offer any information.

The older Wolf just raised a brow, "Hasn't your mother taught you any manners? Obviously it was a private matter, otherwise we would have had the conversation within earshot."

"Peter," Derek growled in warning.

"What?"

"Whether you like it or not, Scott is the Alpha, don't disrespect him."

"Please, I was just being truthful. Noshiko and I had a private conversation; just because Scott is an Alpha doesn't mean he has to be privy to everyone's secrets," Peter admonished with a roll of his eyes.

Derek stepped forward, already tired of Peter's shit for the day, but Scott stopped him. "No, he's right, Mrs. Yukimura talked with him out in the parking lot because she didn't want us to hear. We have no right to demand answers from him about it. I have to head home anyways, it's getting late. Just, Peter, is Kira alright? She didn't go to school today, did Mrs. Yukimura bring her up at all?"

Peter shrugged, "She didn't mention Kira being sick or anything, didn't tell me about the absence, so as far as I know yea, she's fine."

"Okay." Scott nodded and left, knowing he had to get home. Their first game was tomorrow and he had homework he needed to get done since he'd be busy most of tomorrow.

*Yukimura House*

"Kira, come downstairs, we need to discuss your powers," Noshiko called out as soon as she was back inside. "Bring your katana."

Slowly Kira emerged from her room, sheathed sword in her hands, nervous look on her face. "What does 'discuss' mean exactly?"

"Into the basement, come on," Noshiko said, taking off her jacket and going through the door under the stairs.

"Right…" Kira sighed. Always to the basement, for 'discussing'. She followed her mom into the empty basement, unsure of what exactly was going to happen this time.

"Show me what you've learned," Noshiko demanded.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Kira cried out, nervous.

"I'm 900 years old Kira, you won't hurt me," her mother assured her.

"But you say that you're only technically a Kitsune now, doesn't that mean you can't heal?"

Noshiko sighed, "If you have control over your powers like Peter claims you do, then you shouldn't hurt me. But if you can't control it then I'll be forced to halt your training. And yes, I can still heal, it's just a lot slower than what it was before; still better than what Humans can manage. Don't worry about me, this is about you."

"You can't! Peter is doing a good job, it isn't his fault if I have trouble…" Kira whimpered, eyes wide. Mom was the one being sneaky and underhanded! It wasn't Peter's fault if Kira showed any lack of total control; they'd only been training for a couple of weeks and most of it was Kira practicing on her own. But if she didn't meet her mother's standards, she'd forbid her from learning from Peter…

"Then show me you can do this." With that, she motioned for Kira to attack.

With no other choice, the younger Kitsune unsheathed her sword and awakened her spark. This was fine, Kira had been practicing… Ever since she'd accidentally shocked Peter, Kira had been practicing with her voltage output and resistivity. She had ended up shocking quite a few of unsuspecting students but she'd been totally careful. Her orbs were as small as she could make them, and she'd tested on Malia first (with her permission), and the Coyote said it felt mostly like a static shock. But the other day, Kira had finally managed to have the small orbs touch one of the kids in her class and they didn't have a reaction to it; she'd managed to prevent her electricity from jumping into their bodies. Now… let's see if she could do that while in a mock battle with her mother. Maybe she shouldn't use her sword, it was harder for her to control the output… But she was committed now, katana swinging over her head; Mom had one in her hands anyways, she the odds of her landing a blow were nonexistent.

As they traded blows, energy flew from her blade, showering the two Foxes with little sparks. Eventually, Noshiko managed to hook Kira's sword and threw it out of her hands.

"You need to keep working on your grip Kira," she commented, raising her sword over her head.

Kira wasn't thrown off though, her mom loved to try and hook her sword, and right now, Kira wanted to show her that she'd practiced unarmed combat. Lightning covered her hands and they shot up, palms coming together and stopping the sword. Before her mom could pull the blade free, Kira sent a small shock through the metal, down to the hilt and her mom cried out as she dropped the sword.

But Noshiko knew how to fight with just her hands too, even if she couldn't materialize any of her own FoxFire. She dodged out of the way as Kira did a backflip, feet kicking out to try and catch her; as Kira landed, Noshiko stepped forward to try and push her off balance.

It didn't work though, because as she'd been flipping through the air, Kira built up an orb and as soon as she landed she released it.

"Kira!" Mr. Yukimura called out, standing on the stairs.

Noshiko flinched away, preparing her body for the huge shock but it never came; the orb had stopped midair.

"Don't you trust me?" Kira whispered, looking between her parents. She lifted a hand and waved her fingers, causing the orb to float over towards her dad. "Touch it."

"Kira, he's a Human-"

"Mom, trust me!"

Ken saw how adamant his daughter was and decided to reach out and do as Kira said. Carefully, he let his fingers come into contact with the orb, watched as they sank into the white energy.

"Ken?"

"I don't feel anything," he assured his wife.

"I told you that I didn't want to hurt you. I can control the energy if I concentrate, which is why I let you hook my katana. You already saw that I can summon so I figured I'd show you my control of FoxFire. I've learned that I can ensure that my electricity doesn't actually enter the other person's body. Also I can control just how powerful of a shock I let out, so even though it was a good sized ball of energy, I would have kept the voltage low. Just enough that you'd know I hit you with it but not enough to seriously hurt you. I can heal too but I wasn't going to let you cut me if I could help it." Slowly Kira called the orb back to her, letting it dissipate into her body. "Peter is a good teacher, admit it!"

Noshiko looked at her daughter in amazement, "How did a Wolf manage to teach you this?"

"He taught me how to get in touch with my Fox spirit, how to find that balance within. Peter gave me the confidence to try, to practice on my own. Once he taught me how to create my FoxFire at will, I started practicing with it, seeing just what I could do. Mom, look." Kira let her energy materialize, triggering her full Release, and it surrounded her body. Then she called the lightning together, forming hundreds of orbs in the air around her. They pulsed through the air, spinning around her like a protective barrier; with just the slightest of movements from her hands and fingers, Kira could control their paths (although there were too many for her to control each individually. She just focused on separating them into a few groups of different paths). "I totally feel like Katara right now!"

"Who?"

"Oh, sorry, nevermind… character from a show I watch. But, anyways, like I was saying, I'm learning just fine!" Kira stated. She pushed the orbs further away, letting them fill the room before fading away. "And I still have plenty of energy inside me."

"If you're so adamant about learning, why didn't you come to me?" Noshiko asked, crossing her arms.

"Mom, I tried to come to you! And all we ever did was learn weapon training! I didn't even really learn unarmed combat until Peter showed me… You never explained to me about my FoxFire, not even when we fixed this katana! I wanted to learn more, but you told me we had to take care of the Nogitsune first. Well the Nogitsune is gone- has been for a few months now, and still you've taught me nothing. Even if you'd explained to me about the learning slowly, that would have been something. You could have even just given me lessons, told me what my nine Tails were. Do you know how stupid I felt when I went to Peter and I couldn't even tell him what my Tails were for?!

"I'm sorry," Noshiko admitted, "That was just the way I was taught. We teach you about weapons, so that way, even while you're still learning everything, you have a means for defending yourself. Kira, you have a lot of power and it scares me-"

Kira frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Because I was so old when I had you, had all nine of my Tails and all this built up power, it drew a strong Fox spirit to your soul. Obviously the Fox spirit sealed away her energy when she became bonded with your soul, waiting for you to unlock it. But there is still a large amount of latent energy inside you from the Thunder Fox. I felt that with all the turmoil going on with the Nogitsune and the sudden introduction to the supernatural world… it would just be too overwhelming for you. If you ever started to feel stressed or anxious, it could've caused your powers to jump through the cracks."

"Like how I caused the conduit to explode when Barrow held me hostage? Because I didn't know how to control all the electricity that was coming into my body?"

"Yes, just like that. I didn't want to overwhelm you and shift the balance, give the Fox more room to try and control you. But you seem to be right, you are having no trouble keeping the balance."

"So I can keep training with Peter?"

Noshiko looked at her daughter, hurt look on her face, "You don't want to train with me?"

"Um…" Kira looked down at the floor. "I'll still do weapon training with you but…"

"But?"

"I just… I already have a good method with Peter and I just don't think that your methods will work for me," Kira admitted.

"What methods are you talking about?"

"Like with the katana… you never explained to me how to use my FoxFire- I told Peter… it felt like you somehow forced it out of me, it wasn't something I was able to produce on my own… And when you trained me how to wield it, you literally just attacked me and told me to get better… You didn't sit me down, show me the proper grip, if it's better one-handed or two-handed, I only know how to respond to attacks, not how to just… I don't know… how to just bond with the katana. Peter told me that I had to bond with it in order to connect my spark to it, and I get that that has to do with Tails which is why you didn't tell me about it. But at the same time you could have explained the bonding and just not told me about the spark part yet. You do things so harshly sometimes, I can't learn that way…"

Noshiko nodded after a moment, "I understand. I think a large part of that has to do with my age. It has been a very long time since I was a kit, coming into my powers like you are now. I'm used to just knowing how to do things. You are right, I'm teaching you on a secondary level when we should have started on the first level. I took for granted the fact that Kitsune can naturally wield weapons, but you're right, even though we can do it naturally, it helps to know all the finer steps of handling the weapons."

"So, you're not mad? And if I have questions, I can ask you? I mean, Peter knows tons of information but, like you're the actual Kitsune that has lived for centuries. I think it's just because Peter has more recent experience in training, with all the pups that were in the Hale family. Wow that feels really weird saying pups… But um, yea, he just has a gentler method that helps me learn…"

"No, I'm not mad, and yes, I'd love to answer your questions, I want to fix this. Maybe Peter is right, just because I was raised with the fear of Nogitsune, doesn't mean young Kitsune should be sheltered from their powers." Noshiko held her arms out, pulling her daughter into a hug. This wasn't the way she was used to doing things but she couldn't deny that Peter had done good work with Kira. Of course, she'd still be keeping a close eye on things, make sure Peter doesn't corrupt her powers. Just because he hadn't done anything suspicious yet, didn't mean he wasn't planning something. So that meant there were still going to be rules. "I won't ground you this time but Kira, if you skip school again without a good reason, like being kidnapped or going after a Nogitsune, you will be in trouble. Your education still has to come first, so that means you can't space out in class either. And you will be honest with me when I ask where you're going. Now that we're allowing Peter to continue training you, you don't have to lie about who you're spending time with. I'm expecting you to fully disclose when you're being trained by him, understand?" At least this way, she'd be able to keep track of just how much time she was spending with Peter.

"Yes, I understand. I just… I wanted to learn more, I was on such a role with my Tails. But I won't skip anymore, I promise. And I'll let you know whenever I'm having sessions with Peter. But, we aren't telling Scott right?"

"Why don't you want Scott to know?"

"Because… he doesn't approve of Peter, none of them do. Even though he's done a lot to help out- I know he's killed people, but that's in the past. He'd been so helpful with things now and Scott and Derek are still biased against him. If they found out, they'd try and tell me that I can't learn from him. They aren't Kitsune, they don't have any right to tell me who I chose to have as my teacher."

Noshiko sighed in relief. There had been a brief moment where she'd thought Kira was going to mention jealousy as her reason, that the Alpha wouldn't want her spending time with the older Wolf. That would have raised a few red flags for her, because that would mean Kira had at least entertained the idea of being with Peter in a way that rivaled her infatuation with Scott. "I completely agree. Just now, when I spoke with Peter, we had our conversation in the parking lot. Scott may be a True Alpha but he's a teenager and that means he's impulsive. I'd rather not complicate things. But, they will find out eventually, you might not want to keep it a secret for too long."

"I know… now that I have permission from you, Scott can't really argue. I'm sure Peter is working on a way to break the news to them."

"Go wash up, I'm going to get started on dinner."

"Thanks," Kira whispered, giving her mom a squeeze before pulling away. She rushed upstairs and grabbed her phone, texting Peter.

 _Good news, I'm not grounded at all. Whatever you and Mom talked about turned out okay. I totally have permission to be your pupil and keep learning. I will be doing weapon training with Mom still, of course, but you are in charge of my Tails!_

 _Good, I'm glad. I had a feeling it would all work out. After all, I protect what's mine, I won't let people come between us –PH_

Kira squealed and buried her face in her pillow- Mom was so wrong about him!

* * *

A/N: heehee, Peter being Peter. Again, just saying (since I know with the age difference, Peter's word choice can been seen as manipulative) Peter and Kira both have legitimate feelings for each other. Peter is just... aggressive with his word choice. I just think, given Peter's character, he isn't really the type to be lovey-dovey in the way we see Scott interact with Kira on the show, he's more like Malia and how she is with Stiles (obviously ignoring the whole 'not used to being human' thing). He does care for Kira though and doesn't have any bad motives, I promise =)


	6. Weapons Training

A/N: I broke this chapter into two parts since the second part became longer than I thought XD So this one is just Saturday instead of the whole weekend but part 2 is already almost done so it won't take long for an update. I know I haven't updated anything recently but I've had some IRL stuff to deal with and it's been pretty hectic... but here it is =D

We learn a bit more about Noshiko and the Nogitsune so I'm messing with the lore again XD I hope it all makes sense!

* * *

*Saturday*

Kira was woken up suddenly by someone whispering in her ear and a hand quickly covered her mouth as she went to suck in a breath to scream. Her eyes flew open and she registered that Peter was sitting on the edge of her bed, an amused smirk on his face. She sat up immediately, eyes bright and fully awake, mumbling his name through his fingers.

"Shhh, I don't want to get my permission to teach rescinded by being caught in your room so early in the morning." Once Kira acknowledged his words, he removed his hand. "I promised to come see you right?"

"Well yea, but I wasn't expecting you this early in the morning, is everything okay?"

Peter nodded his head and laid out next to Kira, easily maneuvering her onto his chest, arms wrapping around her. "Nothing's wrong, just wanted to see you. I find myself wishing I could spend more time with you and well, I'm not one to wait. I figured your parents would let you sleep in a little while so I stopped by. Oh, I'm planning on going to the game tonight, just to mix things up, should be fun."

Kira smiled and cuddled into Peter's chest, ecstatic at Peter's admission. At first she thought maybe it was just her that felt that ache… a longing, to be with him more. When he mentioned the game, she tilted her head and looked up at him, "We still aren't going to tell Scott right?"

"No, no, I'm not ready to tell him yet, that would just make things more difficult. I'd rather wait until you have a few more Tails, then you can show him that your mom approves of me teaching you. Still, I can go sit with you and the girls, show some support for the Pack. Have you thought any more about which Tail you want to work on next? I know we said we'd just go down the list but I figured I should ask and see. Technically the next one would be learning how to summon your hornets."

She thought for a moment, "That one doesn't sound bad. Although, just based on your opinion, which ones do you think I'd have the hardest time learning? I figure we can save those for last and give me more time to really learn how to control my Thunder."

"Definitely the neural control and the intangibility, although dream manipulation can be rather hard if you have a hard time connecting with someone's subconscious. On the flip side, your Thunder effect, the shockwave, might be easy to learn. Plus your minion, the hornet, is small so it should be easy for you to manifest, versus something like the deer. The illusion stuff, might be easy, might be hard, depends on if I can accurately describe it to you…"

"Then how about we stick with the hornets, then maybe the shockwave stuff. Both of those sound interesting, although… I honestly have no idea what I'd use my hornets for…"

Peter ran his fingers through Kira's hair, "On a day to day basis, not much. For you, since they'd be an extension of your powers, they'd come in handy whenever you're fighting an enemy. While they are busy fighting us Wolves, you can unleash them and have them shock multiple opponents at once. Or they can produce a small shockwave, once you've mastered that, so they could work as traps and stuff."

"I remember you saying something like that when you first told me all about my Tails- oh um, I know it's kinda late but, can you also teach me how to do the… aura hiding thing? I mean, Mom already found out but it still might be handy to be able to block my aura in the future."

"Yea, of course, we can work that in as well. Or is that something you should work on with your mom?" Peter asked. "With the complexity of hiding a Fox aura, she might be the better teacher, there is more to it than just hiding a Wolf scent."

"Oh, good point! I can ask Mom, she should at least be able to give me some pointers. Then if I can't grasp it via her methods, I'll ask you."

"Sounds good, I'll get back to you on a day that we can work together on the hornets. Oh, time to go, your mom is coming to wake you up for breakfast." Peter sat up, pulling Kira with him and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll see you this evening," he promised. As he went out the window, Peter was surprised to find himself smiling; he'd never been one for casual visits before but he found that he was wanting to spend more and more time with his Kitsune, just like he'd said. Maybe he should find more time to stop by and visit under her parents' noses.

Kira was still smiling to herself when her mom opened the door a few moments later, telling her that breakfast would be soon. If her mom was surprised to see her awake and smiling, she didn't comment at all. Kira would have thought it was all a crazy dream except for the fact that Peter didn't close her window all the way, he'd been in a hurry. Even if it had only been for a few minutes, just knowing that Peter took the time out of his day to come and see her made Kira feel special. Peter was obviously a man that knew how to make his lover feel appreciated. Lover? Had Kira really just… a blush covered her cheeks as she imagined what it would be like to be with Peter. They'd gotten a little heavy handed before but they hadn't had sex yet. She thought back on his promise in the woods and covered her face. But she didn't have long to dwell on him because after breakfast, Noshiko told her to get dressed and head to the basement, they were training.

She was standing in the middle of the basement, facing her mom and chewing on her lip, how was this going to go exactly? This really shouldn't have surprised her, now that Mom knew she was earning her Tails and was committed to learning, she'd want to work with her even more. Just as long as it wasn't… hardcore training like before. But her mom seemed to understand where Kira was coming from when they'd had their talk so surely it wouldn't be that bad.

"Alright Kira, I'm hoping to spend some time teaching you more about your reactions today, so that way you can understand your movements better," Noshiko said. She had her own katana in her hand and began to twirl it around, "But first, tell me, is it better to use one hand or two when using a sword?"

"Um, well, two gives you more power and stability but right now you're twirling it with one hand, and that's how I do it as well, how come?" Kira asked, eyes watching the blade's movement. She had an odd compulsion to mimic her mom's movements.

"Good response, there is a time for one hand and a time for two. Generally, we use two hands although of course there are specific styles that utilize one. For Kitsune, as I'm sure you've probably noticed yourself doing a lot, we always spin the blade before we engage, do you know why?"

Kira shook her head, "I just know that it feels… right. Even if I'm not fighting, like when we were all gathered and were just coming up with a plan for fighting the Nogitsune, I was stressed and I found the katana in my hands, it helped to steady me." Besides, she loved how the others always looked really impressed with her sudden skill, maybe she liked to show off a bit…

"That's because it helps us awaken and bond with the weapon," Noshiko explained. "When you have your spark tied to the weapon, it helps to awaken it, let's the spark warm up before getting used. Obviously, if need be, you can just grab the weapon and 'turn it on' but the spark is stronger if you've taken a few minutes to handle the sword. But even in weapons that you haven't imbued yet, it helps our Kitsune spirit become attuned to the weapon in our hands- the weight, the feel, its preferred movement style."

"That makes a lot of sense actually, when I was learning how to awaken the spark for the imbuing part, I twirled my sword around until I felt this connection with it. But wait… why do Humans do it? I mean, we see it all the time in movies and stuff…"

Noshiko chuckled, "Because it adds flair and looks cool. I think it started as a way to intimidate one's opponent; it lets you show off your skill before the fight even starts and maybe they'll back down. For us it's more than that, although I suppose, depending on the enemy, they might be intimidated as well."

"And it's just easier to use 'flair' with one hand I'm guessing?" Kira asked, flicking her wrist and letting the hilt of her katana spin around the back of her wrist.

"Exactly."

"Okay, so… since I did imbue this weapon, would that mean that I should just… like hold it more often? Peter told me that I can summon the weapon from further away if I have a really strong bond with it."

"Yes, by handling the weapon more and keeping the spark alive in the katana, you will create a very strong bond with it. That's why the sword belongs to you now, the bond you've created with it is strong. It was mine, years ago, one of my favorites, which is why I used it to attack the Nogitsune all those years ago. But when I attacked him, I had to push my essence from the sword into the body."

"You… pushed your essence out… Is that why it shattered?"

Noshiko nodded, "Yes. It is… traumatic for a weapon to have its spark torn from it- but it was necessary. That was my way of… changing the body of the host. The katana was infused with a mass amount of my power and by pouring in a different Element, the host body couldn't cope and the Nogitsune was forced out. I saved the pieces, I couldn't bear to leave it down there, shattered. Certain types of Kitsunes can reforge weapons as an effect of their FoxFire and thankfully you were one of them. Otherwise I would still have a sheath of broken pieces. But by reforging it, you… changed the sword's alliance, you filled the hole that I created when I removed my spark. Kira, you brought the sword back to life, while I was the one that killed it. .. Now you didn't quite imbue it with your spark back then, since you didn't understand how to do that, but you still created a strong bond with it. Keep that in mind in the future- the next weapon you try to imbue might be a little harder than you think."

"Wait… well okay, I get that part, I had a head start on imbuing the katana and that was probably why it only took me a few minutes to figure it out but… I had no idea how to… force any of my spark into… um… Not-Stiles's body… What would have happened if Scott hadn't of Bitten him? And weapons have alliances? What does that mean?"

"I wouldn't have let you fight the Nogitsune if the Bite wasn't a part of the plan. I just knew that your sword had enough latent… 'magic' in it and it would at least hamper the Nogitsune, giving Scott time to administer the Bite. Any other weapon wouldn't have been strong enough to hurt him, to make him pause. If it came down to only using that sword, I would have had to teach you how to push your essence into a body, which as you know now, I was hesitant to do. Especially since we would have been pressed for time and there would have been no way you could've understood all the intricacies needed to find a balance." Noshiko regarded the katana in her daughter's hands with a fond look, "Of course weapons form alliances, we help them to feel alive in a way that normal Humans cannot. By waking them up, they tend to imprint on us, if we were to switch swords right now for a mock fight, you would feel exactly what I mean. And that bond is only increased once you imbue a weapon with your spark, you give the weapon a new purpose, a new life. And that is why removing the spark is detrimental for the weapon- you strip them of their purpose and they can't just go back to being what they were before."

"Oh, I get it. I mean, I knew you wouldn't have totally just let me walk to my doom, and that if I absolutely needed to do the spark forcing part in order to win, you would've said something. I kinda wondered how just the sword worked for you back then and that made me wonder as to why it broke… but okay, that makes a lot more sense. It was because you took the spark from the sword in order to fill his body with a different essence, changing the body." There was a lot more to weapon handling than she had ever realized… of course she knew that the sword used to belong to her mom but she had no idea that her mom had sacrificed her bond with the katana. Had no idea that the reason it had shattered was because the Spirit essence had been forced from it. She looked down at the katana, amazed at how much this sword had been through, and now it was helping her to become a better Kitsune. Then she looked back up at her mom, wondering exactly what her essence was… Kira bit her lip for a moment, deciding to just ask, "Mom… you're a Spirit Kitsune right? I mean… I was going over the list of Tails and that seems to be the only Element that fits… We never talked about it and with everything that was going on, it just never seemed to be the right time to ask…"

"Yes, I am a Spirit Kitsune, I… I hadn't realized either that we never discussed it. If… If I hadn't lost all my Tails, I could be a more proper teacher and show you…"

"But… isn't it going to take a long time for you to get your Tails back? I mean… are you going to be okay?" Kira asked, worried about her mom.

"Yes, I will be fine. Like I said, I can still heal quite well and given enough time, I can produce FireFox. What will take the longest is amassing enough of my spark to recreate the Tails and the power they hold. Our Tails are like reservoirs, holding a chunk of our power for us to use. I just need to build that power back up, but I'll be able to use my powers long before I regain a Tail. I just can't overdo it or I'll be pulling power from the reservoir again and it will take even longer to fill."

"Oh, okay, I just… don't want anything bad to happen because of what we accidently did…"

"I've survived this long, I won't let one Nogitsune be the end of me now," Noshiko assured her daughter. "Any other questions or shall we continue with the weapons training?"

"Just one… I… how come the Nogitsune was able to summon the Oni? That's not something Void Kitsune can do… it wasn't because of you and the essence thing, right?"

"Well, to start, he didn't actually summon them, he just… repurposed the ones I'd already summoned. Spirit summoning has a certain protocol that Kitsune have to follow, it's usually considered one of the hardest Tails for a Spirit Kitsune to master. For small, less powerful spirits, we can just summon a bit of our energy- how it works is that the summoned spirits need a body to inhabit in order for them to interact with our world. And our FoxFire is made up of essence and energy so it's the perfect host- we build the body from our energy for them to use."

Kira tilted her head, confused about something, "What about the fireflies? Your animal summon is the butterfly, right?"

"Yes, butterflies are for Spirit because they represent transition and change; Spirit Kitsunes represent the transition from life to death. Other animal minions are very literal, like how River Kitsunes summon otters, a creature known to live in rivers. There are a few that take on a more symbolic for though. Fireflies represent life, they give off light which is naturally assumed to be tied with Goodness and Purity- Heaven. This is why they are also the animal representation of Celestial Kitsune- the light energy they wield is reminiscent of Heavenly Energy, of that same Goodness. When fireflies glow, it is because they are looking for a mate, they are working on creating new life. So naturally, fireflies are the chosen conduit for spirits to enter into our world. The firefly is their connection to this world but the Spirit energy is the host they use to interact with this world," Noshiko explained. "So back to the main question, I create the vessel in which the spirit will dwell and once they have manifested, I issue an order for them to follow. At this time, the spirits have bonded with my specific energy and know to carry out the instructions I've given them. What happened with the Nogitsune was only possible because he stole my Tail, not because of our previous fight. Because it was mine, the Oni reacted to it as if I was the one giving them the new order. He waited until the Oni were around him and then broke the Tail, releasing new energy for them… it's akin to making a new deal. If, for any reason, I wish to change the instructions, I have to offer up more of my energy to renew the contract. It prevents a Kitsune from easily keeping a summoned spirit around forever by constantly changing their instructions. And of course, the stronger the spirit, the more energy they require for a renegotiation. Summoned spirits will stay until its directives have been completed and then disperse, the only other way to preemptively dismiss them is to kill the firefly, if the conduit for them to be here is gone, they can't stay. Of course, the more powerful the spirit, the harder it is to actually access the firefly. Although… if their master dies, that's another way to dismiss a spirit before they've completed their objective. The will behind their instructions is gone so they have no directives to complete any longer."

"So by breaking the Tail, he offered up all your stored energy as a renegotiation and they didn't realize it wasn't actually you giving them the new, um, instructions?" Kira asked.

"Basically. Most Kitsune are not willing to be ordered around so it isn't very likely that someone could coerce a Spirit Kitsune into summoning a spirit for them. And it's just as unlikely that a Tail will get stolen. So that is how they identify their master, by energy signature- a type of supernatural fingerprint. There is no voice recognition since I never actually verbalized what I wanted the Oni to do, it's based off of my will."

Kira blinked a few times, "Wow, that sounds… I mean, I can see how that's supposed to be foolproof, but then again, that also goes to show just how formidable a thousand year old Void Kitsune can be. Um, but okay, enough of the heavy topics, we can do weapon training now."

Noshiko smiled, glad that Kira wasn't afraid to ask questions. She could have easily been dissuaded from asking because of her prior attitude and evasions but that seemed to be behind them. At least now she knew Noshiko would actually provide answers and that probably made it easier to ask. "Now, when you see me move like this, what is your instinct telling you to do?"

The younger Kitsune was caught off guard when she saw her mom suddenly advance and raise her sword like she was going to strike. Immediately, Kira's own katana was raised, positioned horizontally above her head in order to block the strike.

"Do you know why you moved like that?"

"Um.. because I thought you were attacking?"

"Yes, granted, that was a very obvious maneuver, but in order for you to understand my point, we're starting on square one. So, you were able to read my movements and guess as to what my mode of attack was going to be. Now if I move like this?" Noshiko brought her sword down and slashed at her daughter's side, which Kira easily blocked again. "Good, you were able to determine a side slash, also easy. But it's important to realize the difference between reaction and reflex. Right now, you're reacting on reflex, because… that was the way I trained you. And that isn't a bad way to wield a weapon, it means that you can respond to an attack without needing to process what is happening. But… it also negates your critical thinking… you only become reflexive against attacks you've seen before. If I were to go like this," Noshiko changed grips on her katana, swinging it on a downward arc again with just her right hand. When Kira reacted and raised her arms to block with her own blade, Noshiko unsheathed her wrist dagger and pressed it into Kira's stomach with her left hand.

"No fair!"

"Exactly my point. You naturally reacted to my movement, not expecting the new attack because I never used that on you before. So what we're going to be working on today is recognizing different grips and what they are used for. I want to build on your critical thinking, so that way if you see an attacker coming with a one-handed grip, you'll be able to react accordingly and not blindly out of reflex for a two-handed attack."

Kira smiled, "Okay, I get it now."

Hours later when the pair of them finally emerged from the basement for a late lunch, Kira was exhausted. Mom was hell bent on being a better teacher; they'd reconstructed Kira's knowledge of using her katana, working on the basics. Kira was able to recognize different styles now as well as utilize different grips- before it had all been out of instinct, like her mom said but now she had a more fundamental understanding. It had taken them a bit to shift Kira's reactions from reflexive to reactive though… In the end, they managed to shift her attention by Noshiko attacking and when Kira moved to block, they froze and Kira had to explain why she had blocked the way she did and what Noshiko's movements had communicated to her. By taking a few moments to discuss it each time, it helped the critical thinking part of her brain wake up, creating mental pathways for her to remember in the future instead of just relying on her muscles to act. Of course, Noshiko still worked Kira hard, hence why she was so exhausted but, at least they started from the basics and were building on Kira's understanding of the weapon and it was helping a lot. The young Kitsune didn't mind the hard work now that she understood the meaning behind it and it didn't feel meaningless. They even switched katanas for awhile, so Kira could feel what it was like to use a weapon that was already bonded to someone else. It had completely put her off her game and she was happy when they'd switched back.

"Hey Mom, we're done with the training for today right?"

"Yes, I don't want to completely overdo it and wear you out. When you've lived as long as I have, you learn a lot of different styles of fighting with many different weapons; that's not something you'll learn in an afternoon. But I think we made a lot of progress today, you're learning more about how to wield a katana and how to move, not just reacting. Like I said, that was mostly my fault, it was something I could teach you quickly, help you learn how to defend yourself, without actually awakening your powers. Now I have time to train you properly though."

"So, that means I can go to the game tonight right? Since you said I'm not grounded…?"

Noshiko looked her daughter over, "I thought we agreed that you weren't going to lie about when you are training with Peter?"

"What? I'm not…"

"Then why do you have a guilty look on your face?"

Kira looked down at her hands, "More like a nervous look I think. I just… I know I told you that I'm considered Pack, even if you think it's a little weird as a Kitsune but… at the same time… I feel like there is some underlying expectation of going to the games. I mean Allison is going for Isaac… Malia is going for Stiles… All the guys on the team that have girlfriends, they sit together on the benches and cheer and stuff and I just…"

"I thought you liked Scott? When he first noticed you earlier in the year you were practically dancing around the house."

"Yea, I know it's just like… now… things feel different. I mean, he's still totally cute and really nice to me but… knowing he's supposed to be the Alpha of the group, I guess it just feels weird?" At least part of that was true… No way was Kira going to tell her mom that it was also because she'd found Peter instead. It was weird though, she did have a crush on Scott when school had started and she got super flustered around him but her Fox just didn't react to him in the same way that she did whenever she was around Peter. Now that she realized that her Fox and her Human sides were infatuated with Peter (compared to just her Human side concerning Scott), Kira was over the Alpha in that respect.

"Well what about Lydia, she isn't dating anyone on the team but she's still going, right?"

"Yea, that's true. I just know some of them are kinda pushing for me and Scott to get together and it just feels forced and I feel awkward about the whole thing. Like I said, before I totally would have been stoked that they were pushing for it too but I think they just want him to get over Allison and I just don't feel the same way about him now that I know about all this supernatural stuff. But I mean, I'm still going to the game, since it's kinda like a Pack thing, I just wanted to make sure it was okay."

"Yea, you can go tonight since you aren't grounded," Noshiko said.

Kira smiled, "Okay. I'm hoping that soon, I won't… feel as awkward about all of this and find my place in the Pack. Plus I mean… we are still kinda keeping my training a secret from Scott and the others so I just feel weird knowing that I'm hiding something big from them…"

"Well we aren't telling them because they don't trust Peter…"

"I know but… that's totally not right! Peter is different now and I mean… you even went to talk to him and whatever he said worked- he's still my teacher."

"I don't trust him completely and I am going to be monitoring your aura closely to make sure you don't lose that balance. I'm also waiting to hear about what exactly he's going to ask you to do as repayment. But, so far, he has taught you well and I have to acknowledge that. But I do think we should be aware of the fact that Scott and the others would highly disapprove of him teaching you, they know more about him than we do. If they think he's untrustworthy, there is a reason for it."

"If I ever feel like things are getting sketchy, I'll tell you and I won't have any more sessions with Peter, I promise." They just didn't know Peter like she did- they had this complicated history and it affected how they all viewed each other. As long as her mom was at least semi-okay with him teaching her right now, Kira was fine with that. But one of these days, they'd all realize that ostracizing Peter was a mistake and they'd welcome him as a more formal member of the Pack. Then the two of them wouldn't have to hide their relationship.

Noshiko conceded the point, not wanting to start an argument, "Sounds good, just, be on your toes." As long as Kira didn't lose her head, everything would be okay.

*Lacrosse Game*

"So, how do you think the new kid is going to do? Scott finally put him in his place yesterday at practice, you missed it," Malia said, plopping down onto the bleachers. "Where were you anyways, you obviously weren't sick, you can't get sick…"

"Yea, it isn't like you to skip," Lydia pouted from Malia's left side.

"I just… was doing something else is all," Kira mumbled. Wow she hadn't even thought of the girls asking her questions about her absence yesterday. Duh, of course they would! And they all knew about her secret so the usual excuse of the flu was totally out, like Malia just said… What excuse could she possibly give them?

Allison leaned forward and was about to say something about Kira's evasiveness when he heard Lydia suck in a breath, her arm gripped by Lydia's painted nails. "Lydia?"

"What is _he_ doing here?"

Malia and Kira both turned to look, Kira's heart spiking as she spied Peter walking towards them. The Wolf had told her that he was going to be here but a small part of her was afraid he might have changed his mind or something… It wasn't like Peter had any real reason to come to a lacrosse game, except of course it seemed like one of the main reasons he was here was for an excuse to see her. Kira was more than okay with that. She looked him over as he approached the bleachers; he was wearing a dark grey v-neck and his usual jeans while the rest of them were bundled up in jackets- surely he was just showing off right now. But Kira wasn't complaining, he looked good and the short sleeves gave her a good view of his muscled arms. Thankfully Malia was just as focused on him as Allison and Lydia and she didn't notice the change of scent coming from the Kitsune.

Allison stood up and glared, "Why the hell are you here?"

"What?" Peter asked, hurt look on his face. "I can't come and support the lacrosse team, considering who Scott is to us all? Or what if I wanted to chat with my daughter? We obviously have a lot to talk about but she seems hell bent on avoiding me- you probably have nothing to do with that. I'm technically a part of this Pack and Malia is my daughter, I have every right to see her, regardless of you all trying to poison her against me. I understand you don't like me but you can't ice me out completely, you all owe me a lot."

"I don't owe you anything!" Allison stated. "You killed my Aunt!"

"We've told her nothing but the truth!" Lydia cried out at the same time.

"Well to be fair, she killed members of my family first. And I thought we were putting the past behind us, she needed to pay for her crimes. Besides I wasn't exactly in a great frame of mind when I woke up from my coma, I'm not the same Wolf I was. Besides, if I'm such a bad guy, why did I help Scott save Stiles?" Without waiting for an answer, Peter climbed up the bleachers and dropped down behind Kira and Malia. He felt like he'd made a pretty convincing argument about Malia, hopefully if they started to come around, it wouldn't lead to such a fight when his relationship with Kira came out in the open. How many times did he have to explain that he was literally insane after spending 6 long years in a coma? But no, they were all children, unable to understand that the world wasn't black and white… well, most of them were children, Kira of course was smarter than that. Although the calculating look Malia gave him didn't escape his attention either, maybe she was his daughter after all.

"Leave." Allison was still glaring at him, offended that he'd just ignored their words and sat down.

"I have every right to be here, so just sit back down and relax," Peter scoffed.

"I can't exactly relax with you behind me," Lydia told him, body rigid.

Peter tsked, "Lydia, I have no reason to hurt you. I thought we had a pretty good conversation the other day, when I helped you with your Banshee powers-"

"You threatened me and if Allison wasn't there…"

Allison pulled Lydia to her feet, "Don't try to act like you're some saint now just because you've helped. You even told us that day that you were getting something out of it! It wasn't like you helped out of the goodness of your heart!"

"What about when I helped you break out of the Nogitsune's spell, while you and Scott were in Stiles's mind? I was the only one there that even tried to do anything," Peter deflected. Of course he didn't do it out of the goodness of his heart, all of them besides Malia and Kira had orchestrated his death! Maybe they were having a hard time trusting him because he'd killed a few people but he had no reason to trust them either because they'd actually set him on fire! They basically shunned him from the Pack, tried to keep him weak, an Omega, but they needed him and that was the only reason Scott let him stay. If they wanted to treat him like a business partner instead of a Packmate, well then, he would reciprocate. And that was why he got along fine with Kira, she actually respected him, listened to him, and in return he didn't treat her like all the others. If he really wanted to be a bastard, he would have simply refused to help Lydia, or Scott, or Stiles. At least this way he was protecting his interests by asking for some kind of payment, since they weren't smart enough to realize how big of an asset he was.

"Hey, I know that you guys don't really like Peter but um, let's not cause a scene?" Kira whispered. "He's right, we have no reason to make him leave… just because he's done some shady stuff in the past doesn't mean that he's here trying to sabotage things. And his point about Malia is valid… he had his memory of her stolen from him, don't you think he has a right to try and get to know his daughter now that he knows the truth?"

"Thank you!"

Allison huffed and pulled Lydia to her left side, so she'd be between her and Peter. Kira didn't understand what Peter was like but she was right, they were causing a scene. They'd just have to talk to Scott about it and then Scott could ban Peter from coming to the games. He'd have to listen if the Alpha ordered him to do something. As for the Malia issue, the Coyote only had to tell him that she wanted nothing to do with him and he'd have to back off!

Malia glanced back at her father, curious about why he was really here. She knew enough about him that she couldn't trust anything he said, Stiles made sure she knew that. But, she also knew that she had no proof he was up to something and Stiles always said that proof was more important than instinct… Malia didn't understand _why_ but that was the way it worked in the Human world and she was Human now, not a Coyote. She was curious about him though, and Peter was absolutely right, none of them could stop them from talking. Maybe she should have a conversation with him, see what he might be able to offer her.

Glad that the girls had calmed down, Kira flashed Peter a quick, nervous smile and then faced the field again. Her cheeks flushed when she felt Peter gently nudging her back with his knee, just reassuring her with his presence. Subconsciously she leaned back against his leg, feeling the warmth coming from his body, even through her jacket. Kira was so focused on Peter's scent that she wasn't paying attention to the game so when her phone chirped in her pocket, she jumped.

"Who is texting you? We're all here…?" Malia asked.

"Probably my mom," Kira mumbled. Malia knew that she didn't have many friends so it was a little strange that her phone when off when everyone in her small circle of friends were here. As she pulled out her phone and glanced at the name, she was suddenly glad that Malia had turned her attention back to Stiles. It was Peter. She tilted her phone a bit to the side, so Malia couldn't get a direct look at it and opened the message.

 _How was practice today?_

 _Good, I learned a lot actually! Mom taught me how to understand my reactions to certain attacks and I'm kinda learning how to read my opponent. That way I don't have to rely on reflexes when I'm fighting, I can actively process the attacks and plan accordingly_

Kira stuffed her phone back in her pocket, doing her best to just watch the game while she waited for Peter to message back. Obviously he was going to take a minute or two, with Allison watching him out of the corner of her eye- it would be way too obvious if he immediately looked at his phone right when Kira had sent a message. Although she did turn off her alert tone, so that way the others wouldn't totally be aware of when she'd get a message. When her phone buzzed in her pocket, it took all of her self control to not just read his message right away.

 _That's good, I'm glad that she's teaching you the fundamentals. I was thinking that maybe we could meet up tomorrow, although it probably won't be in the loft._

 _That's alright, it doesn't have to be. We can meet in the woods again if we need to, I don't mind!_

 _It's supposed to rain tomorrow, your mother would kill me if we practiced outside_

Before she could respond again, a shrill blast of a whistle drew her attention to the field, along with some loud screams of pain.

Malia smirked, "Serves him right for biting off more than he could chew."

Peter glanced at her, she was more like him than the others seemed to realize, what an interesting development…

"No, that other player totally crossed the line," Allison admonished. Just because Liam was a freshman, didn't mean that he deserved to get hurt. And he really sounded like he was in pain…

"Then he needs to work on his reaction time, I never would have gotten tripped like that," Malia mumbled, crossing her arms.

The people in the bleachers were all mumbling so Malia wasn't even trying to listen in on what was going on but a few minutes later when Peter suddenly scowled she was surprised. He'd managed to listen in on such a specific conversation with all this background noise? Was Scott that good? If so, he neglected to tell her about it.

"I can't believe him," he muttered darkly, glaring in Scott's direction.

"What?"

"The boy wonder just offered that kid the Bite. He feels horrible that Liam got hurt so early in the season and that he has a lot of promise… His leg is broken…"

"He offered him the Bite? He doesn't even know this kid!" Kira whispered fiercely. "I thought you weren't supposed to just tell people?"

"He isn't supposed to," Peter growled out. Why was Scott acting so impulsively? Couldn't he tell that Liam was a horrible candidate for the Bite? Hell, this was the first time Peter was seeing him and he could sense all that underlying rage from here! Seriously, what was Scott thinking?!

"What did Liam say?" Lydia asked, too caught up in the situation to remember that she was supposed to be avoiding Peter.

Peter narrowed his eyes, listening closely, "Well, for starters, Scott didn't just come out and tell him about the big secret, just that he promised Liam he could make it go away. Liam said he was full of shit but then Scott flashed his eyes-"

"Wait, if you saw him flash his eyes then…" Allison muttered looking around to see if anyone else was showing a reaction to seeing something out of the ordinary.

"Liam asked what the hell was going on but Scott said he couldn't talk here, that they'd talk after the game," Peter continued, ignoring Allison's interruption. "Liam is intrigued and said that if Scott could honestly fix his leg without drugs or anything illegal, he's game. And now that other Wolf is totally freaked out…"

"Other Wolf?" Malia asked, scanning the field. If there was a strange Werewolf on the field, Stiles could be in danger. How could she have possibly missed the presence of another Wolf? But that meant Scott had missed it too… God, wasn't he supposed to be good at this?!

"Honestly, Scott doesn't even know he's there… Wow… this is the kid that everyone believes in?" Peter muttered to himself.

Kira turned in her seat to look at him, "Does this mean that after the game, he's going to give the Bite to Liam?"

"Yea, looks like it. Scott is going to have his hands full, he isn't ready for a Beta!"

"He can handle it! Isaac and Malia are his Betas," Allison spat out.

"Fine, come find me when you're ready to admit you're in over your heads," Peter said coolly before standing up and leaving early.

Kira let out a soft whimper, not wanting him to leave just yet. To hell if the others heard her and wondered why she was upset. If Peter said Scott wasn't ready, then Scott wasn't ready… and from the sounds of it, Liam wasn't a good candidate for the Bite anyways… As soon as Peter was out of sight, her phone went off and she hastily checked it.

 _Well, looks like we'll be able to study in the loft after all. When I tell Derek what Scott's going to do, he'll be at Scott's house most of the day trying to help him get Liam under control._

 _Why isn't Scott ready? What's different about Liam being his Beta, like Allison said, he has Isaac and even Malia…_

 _Isaac was already experienced in control by the time he joined Scott, and Malia is still having trouble accessing her Coyote after getting forced back into her Human state. Plus, Liam is full of anger, he'll have an extremely hard time learning control because his Wolf is going to feed off that anger and exacerbate it. Scott has no practical experience in teaching a pup from scratch. Hell, he has no practical experience in training the Betas he does have, let alone a complete fledgling. This is going to be his first, original Beta, it's very different- he isn't ready. I'll text you when I'm on my way to get you. PH_

Kira looked back out onto the field, just as the game was resuming… Peter was totally right, like always. Allison, Lydia… even Scott, they didn't understand the implication of trying to train a new Were… If Scott doesn't even have any basic understanding of why training with his current Betas is important, how was he supposed to be a good teacher for Liam? Hopefully they'd come around and ask Peter for help before anyone got hurt. Not to mention… with one more person in the Pack, that's even less time Scott would have to focus on the others. How were any of them going to be ready the next time a threat came to town? She sighed to herself and put her phone back in her pocket, this was all a mess. But it was a good thing Kira wasn't depending on Scott for anything, or else his impulsive decision in creating a Beta tonight would've hurt her training. And Allison was being super stuck up about it! Peter was just telling them all the truth and she dismissed his words just because she didn't like him as a person. Wasn't Pack supposed to be united? This Pack was a mess, and as Kira looked out over the field, she knew the responsibility rested on their Alpha's shoulders.

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A/N: I know there wasn't a lot of Kira/Peter interaction but the next chapter more than makes up for it, I promise ;) Hope you enjoyed finding out more about my version of Kitsune lore!


	7. Bite Mark

A/N: Sex sceeeene, it happens! XD Also a slight altercation between Derek and Peter but nothing big. Weeeeee I liked this chapter ^^

* * *

*Sunday*

Peter grinned to himself as he heard Derek grumbling in the kitchen. Just like he had predicted, Scott messaged the younger Hale this morning asking for help in explaining everything to Liam. Derek didn't take the news well even though Peter had warned him when he came back to the loft last night. It was only fair after all, that Derek have a least a little bit of warning. It wasn't his fault that his nephew hadn't believed him, saying something along the lines of even Scott wouldn't be that stupid.

"I can't believe him… He can't just… offer the Bite to anyone he feels sorry for! I mean, even when I offered it to… my Betas, I told them all the risks, explained what it would mean to be my Beta. I didn't turn them because I felt sorry for them, I-"

"You targeted them because you knew that they wouldn't turn you down, say it like it is Derek. You might not admit it to Scott, because bless his moral little heart, he wants to believe you're a good person, but don't even try to pander to me. Isaac would have never turned you down as long as it meant he wouldn't have to fear his father anymore; Erica with her epilepsy, her distinct lack of friends? Yea, fat chance of her saying no. Even Boyd was a loner, was someone aching to belong. And you had the perfect thing to offer each of them- strength, health, and Pack. I know you needed Betas Derek, I did the same thing after I became Alpha I just… wasn't in the frame of mind to ask permission. So you found kids that would be desperate for what you had to offer-"

"Now you're just making me sound like some sort of dealer…"

Peter rolled his eyes, "Take it how you will but it's the truth. Just because it sounds bad doesn't mean that you did the wrong thing. You at least knew what it meant when you offered the Bite to someone, and at least you knew what to look for in a potential Beta. Scott is just offering this kid the Bite because he feels guilty that the poor kid would've had to sit out the rest of the season! This is the Alpha you choose to follow?"

"Don't forget you're a part of his Pack too," Derek countered.

"Oh please, I've only stuck around out of necessity, first because I was trying to recuperate from my resurrection and then because I promised Talia I'd watch out for you… I have no idea why _you_ chose to stick around for him but I stuck around for you. Although I'm starting to regret that promise more and more Derek, you've gotten into some stupid situations because of Scott. But that wasn't the point of this conversation, like I told you last night, Scott has decided to make a Beta without even realizing the repercussions of what that means. And now he's asking you for help, so are you going to help him?"

"Of course I am… I told him that I'd stick around and help him figure out the whole Alpha thing but I didn't think he'd go around making Betas without talking to me about it first! I've got to go… Liam took to the Bite pretty fast and is already giving Scott trouble… I don't…" Derek sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll be back, why don't you do something productive, like help me keep Liam under control?"

The Wolf smiled, "Oh no, Allison made it pretty clear last night that Scott is ready for this so they don't need my help."

"I'm asking for your help."

"Then I'm sorry to say that I have a prior arrangement," Peter said, looking at his nephew. It wasn't often that Derek asked for his help, let alone asked sincerely. But he wanted Derek to see firsthand just how bad Liam was going to be. Peter's methods for unruly Betas weren't exactly nice and he knew Scott wouldn't really approve of him being there anyways. So why bother going if he was just going to get yelled at? Besides, Kira was supposed to be training today and well, he'd much rather be spending time with her. "Seriously, I do have something to do today, don't look at me like that. I don't always lie you know. If things really get out of hand, call. But I know Scott would rather eat nails than ask for my help with his newest mistake. Just try to make sure the kid doesn't destroy the house, poor Melissa doesn't need that trouble."

Derek sighed and grabbed his jacket, this was going to be a nightmare. When Peter had told him… he thought that maybe he'd just misunderstood what Scott was implying. That maybe the Alpha would offer an explanation and have a sit down with Liam so the others could explain what it really meant to get the Bite. But no, apparently after the game, Scott told Liam that he could do something that would heal Liam's leg and make him stronger. From the sound of it, he didn't even explain what it would mean if he accepted the Bite, what would really be happening to him… He wasn't much better at this than Peter! But at least his uncle had a bit of an excuse… Scott was just… not being smart about this.

Peter waited about 10 minutes after Derek left to text Kira, letting her know that he could come get her now. As soon as he got the reply that she was ready to go, he grabbed his keys and went down to his car.

Kira was pacing back and forth in the living room while she waited for Peter to show up, much to her mom's annoyance.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous, more like… excited. I just feel energized when I know that I'm going to be working on one of my Tails. I just can't really sit still. Once I like, start learning, it's easier to focus but since I'm just waiting right now…"

"And you'll be at the loft you said?"

"Yea, since Derek is going to be helping Scott, the loft is free right now."

Noshiko nodded in approval, "Good, because it's starting to rain and the weather channel said that we're supposed to get pretty heavy rain today. And if anything comes up, I know how to get to the loft to pick you up."

"Yea, Peter said the same thing, that since it's raining, you wouldn't be happy if we were training outside. Oh, there he is."

"Call me if you need me," Noshiko stated as her daughter raced out the front door. She smiled to herself, remembering what it was like to be so excited to learn about Tails. It still made her nervous that Peter was the one teaching her but Kira seemed to be in good hands… At least someone in the Pack was looking out for her, since Scott seemed to be too busy.

"Did your mom give us a time limit?" Peter asked as Kira climbed into the car.

"No, although I'm sure I have to be home for dinner, that's the usual rule. But she didn't tell me that I could only stay a few hours or anything so I can stay as long as Derek is busy!"

"Sounds good."

"I um, brought my box," Kira said, lifting the container from her lap. "But I didn't need my katana or anything right?"

"No, you don't need any weapons for animal summoning. Although bringing the box does help, so that way we can know for sure if you've achieved your Tail or not."

"And I know you said that it's good to practice, like with all the Tails that I've already learned and stuff, so I wasn't really sure if maybe you'd want to practice my weapon summoning more or maybe my FoxFire stuff. I mean, we don't have to do that today but as an option, we can take a break from new Tails to strengthen the ones I already have."

"We can always do that, now that we don't have to sneak around behind your parents' backs. It will probably be easier to squeeze in time together, although I know you can't let your schoolwork start to suffer or else training will be put on hold."

Kira nodded, "Yea, school is still important although I think I'm doing okay. Now that I'm getting over the initial excitement of earning my Tails I think I'll be fine. And also now that I don't have to skip anymore in order to train with you, school shouldn't suffer. Even if I'm still omitting it from the rest of the Pack, I can at least tell Mom that I'm taking a few hours after school to learn from you. Besides, if Scott, Stiles, and Isaac can handle homework after a few hours of lacrosse practice, I can take the same block of time out of my afternoon and be fine."

"Pretty sound logic, and at least you're training in something important," Peter agreed. As he parked the car, the two of them hurried into the loft to avoid the worst of the rain that was really starting to fall now.

"So, we're working on my hornet summoning right? And they aren't real animals that I'm controlling, just manifestations of my spark right?"

"Correct, it's just densely packed lightning that learns to maneuver on its own, you give out instructions and they get carried out without you having to directly control them."

Kira's eye widened, "I don't have to like… keep track of them and manage them all? I thought I'd have to focus…"

"No, that would be too much of a hindrance if you needed to focus on each individual hornet as well as whatever it is you're currently doing. That's what makes this Tail hard to learn, it's so much more than just manipulating your FoxFire, or even just learning to shape it like a creature. By shaping it and focusing a huge amount of energy in this Tail, you can basically create robots to carry out a simple mission. Obviously it won't be anything too complicated when you're first working out how to do it. I don't even know exactly how long it might take you to learn how to control them. First you have to make them and that's enough of a trial I'm sure."

"Yea, I have no idea how the Nogitsune managed to make so many and then semi-possess more than one person like that… but that's why I'm here... to learn- not to possess people but-"

"You can't possess people," Peter assured her with a chuckle. Of course he knew what she meant by now.

Kira facepalmed, was she seriously still doing that? Her brain sometimes just failed her… of course he knew she didn't mean that she was going to learn how to possess people! She was just always so nervous to explain herself that she just assumed people misread her intentions and now she felt thoroughly embarrassed.

"Are you ready to start?"

"Yea," she mumbled, still covering her face. "What do we do first?"

"Well, how small can you make your orbs? You need to be able to manipulate the size of your lightning first before moving any further." Peter pulled Kira over to the couch and sat down; no need to stay standing for this part since they wouldn't be fighting.

"Oh, I can make those pretty small," Kira admitted, easily producing a small number of orbs. "I was um, practicing… I've been trying to control my power output. If I concentrate, I can make it so the electricity doesn't flow into the person's body." She emphasized her statement by having a few of the tiny orbs float around and touch the Wolf. The hairs on his arms stood up as the lightning passed but other than that, he had no reaction. "I can do it with slightly bigger orbs as well but the bigger they are, the more concentration I need and the fewer I can have. I guess it's because the bigger they are, the more energy they have? Mom was impressed though, she didn't expect me to know how to do that."

"When did you decide to practice that?"

"Oh um, it was because… I uh, shocked you, that first time we really, um, kissed and I felt bad… So I decided that I wanted to work on making sure I wouldn't hurt people on accident with my electricity. I did end up shocking a few unsuspecting kids but nothing major, just like static shock level. I did test it on Malia first, she knew of course, just to make sure I wasn't going to like… seriously hurt anyone at school. But I've got it down now, and while I was practicing that, it helped me learn to control size as well."

"Don't worry about hurting me, I'm a Wolf, not Human, so I can take it; besides, like I told you, unless you're actually in attack mode, your lightning doesn't hurt, it just… tingles. But that's still good that you took the time to practice- having experience with that kind of control will definitely help you here. So go ahead and make some small orbs then, just see how well you can control them all at the same time."

"You mean like, making them all move differently right? Obviously it would be easy to make them all move in tandem," Kira laughed, lifting her hand as 5 orbs flew from her fingertips. She lightly wiggled her fingers, eyes narrowing as she started to concentrate on making them move in different patterns. Getting the first few to move in different circles was easy enough but as she began to move the third and fourth she noticed that the movements began to waver a bit. "I think… three is my limit right now… how did the Nogitsune summon like hundreds of flies all at once? I mean… I know he only ended up using a few, what… Derek, Isaac… and the twins too, I mean, that's four… but Mom said when she saw him, there were hundreds…"

"That's probably because if he only released a few, your mom might have been able to wipe some out and it would have hindered his plans. Plus, if he sends out hundreds, it makes us think that he has a plan involving a massive amount of people and not just a small handful. A classic misdirection; plus all of them were moving as a hoard, he wouldn't have needed to control each one of them individually- you can do more than 5 if they are in the same pattern right?"

"Oh yea, I can produce a lot of little ones and have them all move together, or even do a half and half kinda thing. But definitely not all on an individual level. But you're right, once they were out of sight, all the flies that weren't needed probably just dissipated and the few that he'd given long term instructions continued on their way. I um… I can move these individually, and I'm in no hurry to just get to the next step but how exactly do I turn them from balls of electricity to wasps?"

"Concentration, you power up the connection between you and your inner Fox and they take shape. The connection to the wasp comes from the old pacts the Fox spirits made, so it is something the spirit has to rekindle and pass down to you. But by concentrating on the shape and purpose you want the lightning to take, it should segue into the Fox helping you. But we can work on the 'instruction' part next before needing to work on the shape part. The family I visited with said that it is actually easier to learn while the element is still in the natural form than when you wait to learn until after it has taken the animal shape," Peter said, relaxing into the cushions of the couch. This was a pretty laid back lesson, it was nice, they could take their time and mostly work on the mental part of this instead of the physical part like wielding her katana.

"Really?"

He nodded, "I mean, it makes sense because when it is in the animal shape, you already have to concentrate on its shape and then instructions on top of that. But if you learn how to give instructions to just lightning, it won't be hard to do that once the lightning has a different shape."

"Yea… I guess I was just thinking that the 'instruction' part would just be more complicated than the 'shape' part. Like, I dunno, just seems like learning how to transform the lightning into the wasp… well no, when I think about it like that… Like it's not hard at all to like, change shapes," Kira explained, combining all the orbs into one big one so Peter could really see what she was doing. Then she twirled a finger and the ball of lightning turned into a square, then an oval. "That really isn't hard at all, but to actually change it into an animal? That's probably pretty hard… So maybe figuring out how to delegate directions first will be easier. Because I can do the shapes without any like, hands-on, help from my Fox. Working with my Fox isn't hard though just that I think it might take a little time for us to get that communication going that will let my orbs turn into wasps and stuff." Kira turned to look at Peter, letting her bigger orb fade away. He had his arms over the back of the couch and his legs were splayed a bit, her eyes roamed over his body of their own accord. Next she licked her lips and then, impulsively, she climbed onto his lap and kissed him. Immediately her hands were in his hair and she pressed her hips down onto his as his hands squeezed her thighs.

"What happened to learning?" he murmured against her lips. Peter wasn't complaining at all, he'd been watching her mouth the entire time she'd been talking. As sappy as it might sound (and he wouldn't admit it freely), Kira had amazingly soft lips and he loved kissing her. His hands wandered up higher, sneaking under her shirt to rub her sides.

"I already have three Tails, I'm way ahead of schedule," Kira stated, leaning back just enough so she could pull her shirt off. "Besides, I owe you a favor, so I should repay you right?" When she leaned in to kiss him again, she was surprised that he leaned back, his hands disappearing from her skin.

Peter blinked, "What?"

"I… um… I totally owe you, for teaching me all this stuff… So I figured…"

"What makes you think I want you to repay me with sex? I... Kira... is that why you think I'm teaching you, so I can have my way with you?"

"No!" Kira reassured him, shaking her head. "I just… I don't know what else I can do… I mean, it's not like you need money, I know you and Derek are loaded…Besides, actual payment doesn't seem right, then it's not a 'favor for a favor' thing, it's just paying you money…"

"Wait, how do you figure that we have money?"

Kira raised a brow, "Neither of you work and yet you have cars and a place to stay. Plus I know you have your own place… Stiles was grumbling one day about how he still doesn't know where you live…"

"I do have an apartment yes, and you're right, Derek and I both have money. But I will not be accepting sex from you, not like that."

"But then… what? Mom is… she's worried about you asking me for something super serious and it's kinda been stuck in my head and I figured if I was the one to at least offer... sex, then Mom couldn't get mad at you for it. If she heard that we had sex she'd totally think that you are some creep that just manipulated me but I know it isn't like that at all! At least this way I could tell Mom it was my idea and not yours..."

"Yea, I would end up skinned for sure if that was what I asked of you… I just wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't expecting that from you. If you are really worried about the favor thing, you can help me with the job Deaton gave me."

"He gave you a job to do?" Kira asked.

"Yea, he didn't want money for making the box, he wanted a favor, so he has a job for me to do. And as much as I hate to admit it, I am going to need help with it. Which, obviously, I can't ask Scott, I thought about Derek since well, I figured asking you might be weird since… the box was a gift…"

"No, that totally works! Because if it's a favor for Deaton that means it shouldn't really be that questionable and Mom should be okay with it. And I mean, it's totally fine that was because of my box, I'm repaying you for the lessons anyways, not the box, I still consider that a gift. What's the job exactly? The more details I can give Mom, the better. And um, when?"

"I haven't decided yet, although Deaton did make it clear, the sooner the better. There is a Kanima down in Brady Springs that needs to be taken care of. Someone else knows that Deaton is good with the supernatural and came to him with their problem. But don't worry, we aren't killing them," Peter assured her, sensing her unease building. "Eichen House, they have a… well, they have a supernatural ward, in the basement. Not many know about it although I suppose it doesn't really matter that I'm telling you since you'll be helping me. Deaton has helped the director there take care of problem creatures for years now. And because the Kanima is controlled by their master, and Deaton doesn't have time to figure out who the master is, we just cure the Kanima and problem solved."

"Oh, okay, I mean… I know Kanimas are dangerous, Scott told me about when Jackson was one but… I'd rather not kill unless I absolutely have to. Maybe we can just go tomorrow after school? I can ask Mom tonight when I get back home and let you know. If it's for the favor though, she should be more than okay with it although… Um… can we… do you want to…?" Kira asked, one arm crossing over her torso as she got self conscious again.

"As long as we're clear that I want you because you've told me that I'm allowed to have you, that you wanted us to be more," Peter said, hands settling on her hips.

Kira smiled, "Yea, we're clear." She let Peter pull her down into another kiss, arms snaking around his neck. It didn't take long for her uncertainty to wash away as she got lost in the kiss,and in his touch as his hands created a trail of heat on her skin. Her back arched as he slipped his hands under her bra, hips grinding down on him, feeling as he grew stiff in his pants. Then her bra was unclasped and her arms pulled free of the straps and her fingers were tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Peter was happy to oblige, yanking his shirt over his head before he rolled them onto the cushions, lying over top of the Kitsune. He bit down on her neck, fingers quickly undoing her button and zipper, one hand sliding into her underwear. Kira moaned in his ear, legs falling open so he had easy access, and Peter didn't waste any time. As he sucked a hickey into her neck, his fingers worked her clit, a growl growing in his throat as she moaned and rolled her hips underneath him.

Kira's eyes closed as Peter touched her, already she could feel the electricity crackling from her fingertips; this was the first time someone really touched her like this, and he wasn't even inside her yet. "Oh God, Peter," she moaned, gripping his shoulder roughly, "I need more of you, please." Already she was lifting her hips so he could pull her pants off, kicking her feet free before biting on his lip. Kira cried out, gasping, as his fingers pressed inside and curled against her walls, slowly at first but quickly speeding up. She sunk back into the cushions as his fingers pumped in and out, curling and twisting and she just couldn't seem to catch her breath. It wasn't long before she was crying out, nails digging into Peter's shoulders as he sucked on her breasts.

The Wolf could tell that Kira hadn't been with an experienced partner before, with the way her body was reacting, touches like this were new to her. Maybe someday soon they'd have to make a trip to his apartment, where he knew they wouldn't be pressed for time, but right now, his control was slipping. Her moans and cries were loud in his ears and he needed to be inside her when she finally climaxed. With practiced skill, he undid his pants without disturbing Kira's rhythm too much and then kicked out of them. He pressed down on top of her, nibbling on her ear a bit before whispering, "Ready for more?" A pleading whine was her answer and Peter smirked to himself, biting down on her neck as he reached down, lightly gripping her thigh. Since they were on a couch, he knew that Kira wouldn't really be able to throw her legs open so he brought her left leg up and hooked her knee over his shoulder as he rubbed his cock against her wet opening. "Moan for me, Baby-Doll," he said as he pushed the head in.

At first Kira had been surprised at how Peter was positioning her but then she realized that he'd be able to press in closer to her like this and wow, was she ready for more. When she felt him finally enter her, Kira arched her back and lowly moaned his name, hand digging into the couch as he slid further and further inside. When he paused, Kira impatiently rolled her hips, gasping as the motion rubbed her clit against his skin. But Peter realized what she wanted and he rocked his hips, pulling out almost all the way before thrusting back inside; just as Kira thought her body couldn't handle much more stimulation, Peter thrust faster, one hand snaking between them to work her clit as well. She screamed out in pleasure, tilting her head so he could continue to suck marks into her neck. The energy inside her was overwhelming and even she could hear the electricity crackling over the sounds she was making as well as Peter's growls. But even with some of her energy escaping her skin, Peter was lighting her body up, each thrust pressing against her g-spot and filling her with ecstasy. The room grew brighter as Kira's eyes lit up and her Fox surfaced, riding on the edge of a climax. Just before she completely lost herself in the euphoria, the Kitsune leaned forward and bit down on Peter's neck. Then her spark surged outward, her body tightened and large arcs flew from her body.

Peter fought with his Wolf for control as he pushed Kira closer and closer to the edge, especially as the tendrils of energy rolled over his skin. Just as Kira was about to crest that wave, he was surprised when she bit down on his neck but when her energy flowed into him, he felt his fangs grow and he couldn't hold in his howl. His whole body jerked as she orgasmed, body clenching around his, holding him tight and Peter climaxed as well. The two of them took a few minutes to wind down, both panting and shaking. Peter gently unhooked her leg from his shoulder and peppered her face with kisses.

"So, maybe you were right," Kira panted, "Sex in the woods would have been a bad idea. Everyone would have heard that."

"Told you," he chuckled. When he looked at her, he realized that she had no idea… Thank God he'd held back long enough… he'd been fighting the urge to Claim her as soon as he'd entered her. If Kira went home with his mark on her skin... but Kira had Claimed him first, so he was in the clear, the others would have to accept it. Now he'd just have to find a way to break it to her, explain to her the seriousness of what she'd just done. Although now that her essence was flowing through him, Peter understood, how back when they'd first met they'd been drawn to each other… why it hadn't made sense to him back then but now… it was because of the Fox. Even all those months ago, the Fox spirit had seen something in Peter and was calling out to his Wolf; it defied everything Peter understood about Wolves and Foxes but… his Wolf had responded to her, had no qualms about being with a Fox, and Peter had no issues with the fact that Kira was young. But that was for later, right now they needed to clean up. "Stay here, I'll get you a towel."

"'K," she mumbled, happy to just continue lounging on the couch for a bit longer. Although she did eye Peter as he climbed off and walked away, he didn't even stop to grab his boxers so she had plenty to look at. When he came back, Kira thanked him and cleaned herself up although her legs were still pretty jelly-like so she wasn't going to try standing just yet. Both of them jumped when Peter's phone started ringing, it was such a rare sound.

Peter frowned, buttoned his pants and then answered, "Hello Nephew, how goes the training? I.E.D.? You're kidding…" he groaned and rubbed his temples with one hand. "Scott certainly knows how to pick 'em. Has he…well have you tried- you have… Did you want me- alright fine, then why are you calling?"

The Kitsune bit her lip, wondering what was happening at Scott's house; from the sounds of it, things weren't going well but Kira wasn't going to eavesdrop. She'd just ask after he got off the phone.

"Alright Derek, make up your mind, do you want me coming over there or not? Because if I come over there, I'm not going to go easy on the kid. Besides, from the sounds of it Scott doesn't want me there so, how bad do you want my help? I… fine, we can brainstorm whenever you get back to the loft." Peter hung up and slid the phone into his back pocket.

"Sounds like things aren't going well?"

"That's the understatement of the year… Liam has an anger problem, I mean, I knew that last night, I could sense the anger coming from him. Scott thought it was just anger from getting hurt but there was a… a bite to it that warned me of a problem. And as it turns out, Liam has I.E.D.- Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Scott has his hands full… it'll be a miracle if Liam learns control by the full moon- or at all… The Wolf is… already full of… rage and animalistic tendencies, and if Liam was already having trouble controlling his rage, this will make it impossible. But at least he'll be able to play lacrosse," Peter stated with disdain, sneer on his face.

"But I thought… the Bite fixed things like that?" Kira asked.

He shook his head, "No, it fixes physical imperfections as well as a number of neurological problems but not all of them; I.E.D. is a behavioral issue, nothing there for the Bite to… fix. Not like Erica's epilepsy or Scott's asthma. Derek is going to try one more thing before he just calls it a day and comes back. Which means, I need to get you home before he gets here; I know we didn't get to train much but you at least have something to work on, a place to start."

"Right, the um, instructions part. Although, can I ask what exactly that means? Do I just… try to… I don't even know…"

"When you control your lightning, what exactly are you doing?"

Kira thought for a moment, "Um, mostly just… reacting? Like I watch its movements and then just... know, where it is going to be next. I coordinate its movements with my hands and stuff like that but it just all sorta feels connected."

"Okay, I think I get what you mean. Try working on actually telling the orbs where to go, either verbally or just mentally. Don't try to communicate with the lightning before that, give it a simple command and then relinquish control, see if it does what you want. Work on building that connection, right now you and the lightning are working in tandem, which isn't bad, and under most circumstances that's what you want. To just instinctually have your lightning react to your nudges."

"Okay, I can try and work on that. Oh, and I'll talk to Mom about the Kanima thing. I just… Today was a great day, training aside," Kira said with a blush. Great? More like mind blowing, seriously- she had no idea what that phrase meant until today. "Even if Derek wasn't coming home soon, I don't think um… my energy would be, well, focused enough for awhile still. I'd be pretty useless." To show him, Kira raised a hand and tried to produce a few tendrils over her hand but all she managed was a couple of arcs that went flying through the air.

"Can't wait to see how you feel when we spend some time in my apartment," Peter chuckled, making sure his keys were in his pocket.

Kira flushed and whimpered, imagining what it might be like to be surrounded by Peter's scent like that, to be in his home and let him do whatever to her. She got up from the couch and walked over to Peter, pulling him down into a kiss. It wasn't like she really wanted to leave right now but obviously she couldn't stay, not with Derek coming back soon. Kira moaned as his arms wrapped around her and she licked into his mouth, giving him a sloppy kiss.

Peter wished they could continue but he knew they couldn't, not if they wanted to continue meeting like this. So he picked her up and walked over to the loft door without breaking the kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist, freeing his arms so he could close the door and head to the elevator. It wasn't until they got down to the car that Kira finally let go, sighing. "Time with you just… it never feels like enough…"

"I know exactly how you feel," Peter whispered back. His Wolf was itching to return the Claim, to cover her in his scent and show her off to the Pack. He wanted all of them to know that she was his but also, that he was hers. If they spent enough time together their scents would intertwine and people would forget that there was ever a period where they didn't belong to each other. It would have to wait though, as much as Peter needed to scent her, he knew that they couldn't rush it- Kira didn't even understand what she had done… didn't know about the implications of Claiming someone. He opened the door for her and got in, turning the car on, "Keep an eye on Liam tomorrow, if he gets out of hand, your electricity might be the only thing to stop him from hurting someone… too bad we haven't gotten to the neural control yet… That would be the best thing for an uncontrollable Wolf."

"What do you mean? And can't Scott… control him? He is the Alpha…"

"Normally yea, an Alpha can make a Beta listen, no matter how lost to the bloodlust they might be. But if you all are at school, Scott won't be able to shift without endangering everyone and spilling his secret. Plus I don't think he has the drive to stop Liam in all honesty. In order for an Alpha to exert total control over a Beta, they have to be willing to impose that power and Scott won't do that. And I know you seem hesitant to learn the whole neural control thing and not just because that is going to be hard to master. But being able to exert control over someone else's body doesn't always have to be seen in an… evil light. In a situation like this, you could literally just freeze Liam's movements and stop him from attacking someone. You can help reinforce someone's body, random example, if they are trapped on a ledge and can't climb up. You can lock their grip for them, ensuring that even if the person physically gets too tired to hold on, they won't fall until someone can reach them. You can help someone fight with an unfamiliar weapon if they are the only ones around to fight and you are otherwise unable to help them. Your powers aren't inherently good or bad, it all depends on how you use them."

Kira turned and looked at him, surprised; it had never occurred to her how she could use her 'neural' Tail in a 'good' manner. But Peter was totally right, just because she'd immediately thought of all the 'bad' ways she could control someone, didn't mean the Tail itself was bad. There were plenty of good ways to use her powers, as long as she applied them in the correct situations. Hell, with that train of thought, once she knew how to control her voltage as more than just 'on' and 'off' she could help jumpstart someone's heart. Sure, that scenario would probably never happen but it was something that she hadn't even thought of before. Now she had a lot to think about. She said goodbye, Peter covertly stopping her from kissing him, just in case her parents were watching. Kira couldn't wait for the days when they wouldn't have to tiptoe around. Thankfully she managed to turn her slight shift into just unclicking her seatbelt and grabbing her box from the floor of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow, hopefully. I'll text you with Mom's answer, yes or no."

"I'll be waiting." Peter waited until she was in the house before driving away.

*Kira's House*

Noshiko looked up as Kira practically skipped into the kitchen, this was a surprise. "Don't tell me you earned your Tail already?!"

"Hmm? Oh, no, we didn't get very far, Derek ended up calling because Liam is being a problem but then… Scott didn't want Peter to come to the house so it sounded like Derek was going to go back to the loft to brainstorm ideas with Peter? Something like that. Peter did warn me to keep an eye on Liam though, at school tomorrow… just in case."

"Why is Liam such a problem?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't have heard… Liam has I.E.D. which um… stands for… um…"

"Intermittent Explosive Disorder… Why did Scott Bite him then?" her father asked, coming into the kitchen.

Kira looked over, "Yea, that! And… I… don't know. Peter said that he's impulsive and I agree. All Liam had was a broken leg- that's no big deal! And on top of that, he didn't even know Liam that well before offering him the Bite. Now he's in over his head and can't admit it… I don't want to have to hurt Liam but I don't know if Scott can keep him under control and-"

"No use worrying about it right now Kira," Noshiko told her. "Just take it one day at a time. Maybe Liam will be okay during school, maybe he won't be. But know that he isn't solely your responsibility. I understand that you feel like Pack and you want to help but Scott is the one that has to learn that he's the Alpha and he has to control his Betas. If he comes to depend on the rest of you too much for help, then he's not a good Alpha."

"But…" Kira frowned. "Depending on friends isn't bad… right?"

"I think what your mother means is that, in this scenario, Scott needs to assert control over Liam because he is the only one that can control him. By all means, it is good to depend on friends but if Scott can't learn to use his Alpha powers, then Liam will turn into a monster that doesn't know how to respect Wolf authority," Ken stated.

"Oh, okay yea, I get what you mean. If Scott doesn't learn then he'll come to depend on me and the others to control Liam and Liam's Wolf will learn that Scott is a pushover that doesn't need to be listened to and that would be all bad… But, I mean, Derek is trying to help and Peter is willing to help Derek at least, even if Scott doesn't want his help. And oh by the way, about the favor thing… I asked Peter about it today."

"And what did he say?" Noshiko asked, trying to remain calm. She had no reason to be suspicious yet, at least wait until Kira revealed what his answer was first…

"We're supposed to go find a rogue Kanima over in Brady Springs… It's something Deaton asked him to do and Peter knows he can't really do it alone. So if I go and help him capture it, my favor will have been repaid."

"That's all?" she asked, brows raised.

Kira nodded, "Yea, just go, find the Kanima, subdue it, and bring it here. Apparently there is this whole supernatural ward at Eichen House and they'd be rehabilitating the Kanima there. So I won't even be killing anyone, thank goodness. Peter just wants to help, he said that it's a Wolf thing, that they train the younger Pack members to make sure they are ready for the world. He just feels the drive to help me learn and the sooner we get rid of this 'favor' business, the less we'll have to worry about it. So… can we go tomorrow to take care of it?"

Noshiko looked her daughter over, was that really all Peter wanted? It seemed like a very small price to pay in order for her daughter to be free from Peter's clutches… And Kira's attitude was way too bouncy, especially considering her lesson got cut short. "I suppose it will be alright but do not take any unnecessary risks. Kanimas are very dangerous."

"I won't! I promise! Although, I'm going to get started on my homework, love you!"

As Kira turned away, there was a brief flare of Noshiko's eyes as the older Kitsune took in her daughter's aura. Ken noticed that her eyes widened in shock and she subconsciously took a step back.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Her aura… it's… I think she Bonded with Peter… it's bright, it has that sheen to it. She couldn't have… that would mean…"

"She didn't have a mark on her neck, we would have noticed," Ken assured his wife.

"I'm still going to talk to Peter. This is… she's so young, how could her Fox have decided already?! Keep an eye on her, I'll be back."

*The Loft*

Peter put his hand over the bite mark on his neck, thumb rubbing over the faint indents. He wasn't used to having scars, and now that he knew just what it felt like to have a bite like this… Peter was amazed. He walked into the loft, mind still thinking about Kira, when a loud growl brought him back to the present.

"Peter! How could you?!" Derek snarled, charging at his uncle. The moment he'd come home he'd known what Peter had done… to Kira… why? "I thought you were done manipulating the Pack! I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Peter returned the snarl, hurt that Derek would think something like that- hadn't he redeemed himself enough! Surely he would have known if he'd forced himself on the Kitsune, the loft would've reeked with her fear and pain. As Derek rushed him, Peter grabbed his wrists and spun, tossing his nephew over his back and through the open door. "I thought you were smarter than this Nephew! Or are you too blinded by your distrust that you just didn't notice the lack of fear in the air? Surely you can understand that our interaction was completely consensual!"

"You're manipulating her just like you did with Lydia! Or are you going to try and tell me that you didn't flirt with Lydia?" Derek accused.

"That was different! That was the only way I could get close to her in that state- Lydia is the kind of girl that expects people to fawn over her so she would have been suspicious if my past self wasn't trying to get in her pants. We didn't- I never actually… even I have lines I won't cross Derek! Yes… we kissed a few times but what I think you're failing to recall is that I never actually physically interacted with her! I know that it fucked with Lydia's head but at the end of the day, that's all it was- in her head. I only did what I needed to, in order to survive! Let's not forget that the only reason I Bit Lydia was because I knew you'd all betray me and try to kill me! I have done nothing remotely similar with Kira and you're lucky I don't break you for assuming that."

"Oh, forgive me if I don't believe you," Derek snarled, getting to his feet.

Peter flashed his eyes and roared at Derek, "Not everyone here thinks I'm worthless or untrustworthy! Just because you can't wrap your head around that fact doesn't mean Kira is just as stupid as the rest of you. I've worked my ass off, trying to show all of you that I'm not the same Wolf as before and none of you are willing to trust me! Now Scott has dug himself into a hole that he doesn't know how to get out of and you are accusing me of forcing myself on a Packmate?"

"She's 16 Peter, she can't know what she wants!"

With a self satisfied smirk, Peter reached up and pulled at the neck of his shirt, showing Derek the Claim bite. "I beg to differ Nephew, her Fox knows exactly what she wants."

Derek's eyes flashed, Peter had forced Kira into a Bond? He ran at Peter, attempting to tackle him but the older Wolf was faster. Peter dodged to the side and sent Derek flying with a kick to the ribs. When had he gotten so fast… let alone strong enough to send him flying with one kick. He lay curled up on the ground as his ribs healed.

"Don't test me Nephew, I won't be pushed around by the likes of you. Just because Scott hasn't bothered with training, doesn't mean I'm going to let my skills get rusty!"

As Derek got to his feet, both of them were startled by the loft door slamming shut. They'd been so infuriated that neither of them had heard Noshiko come in. And the Kitsune wasn't about to get between two Wolves, so the only way to get their attention was to distract them from each other. Satisfied that the two of them were aware of her presence now, Noshiko calmly strode over to Peter and slapped him across the face.

"Oh, you'll let her hit you…" Derek muttered like a pouty child. Peter had plenty of time to recognize what she was going to do and he let it happen, but he had countered all of Derek's moves easily.

"She is directly involved in this situation as Kira's mother, if she wishes to slap me, she can. You on the other hand, accused me of something unfavorable and I wasn't going to stand for that."

Derek narrowed his eyes, looking between the two of them. "Wait, did you know Kira was here with him?"

"Yes, I did. He's been training her, teaching her about her Tails since I have been an unsuitable mentor. I did not think that he'd let Kira Claim him, not at such a young age!"

"To be fair, I had no idea she was going to. It just… happened," Peter confessed.

Noshiko rolled her eyes, "Sex doesn't 'just' happen!"

"Well no, the sex I was prepared for, and you'll notice that I refrained from returning Kira's Claim, for now. After it happened, I could tell… she doesn't even know what she did… How could I have expected her to know how to Claim when she doesn't know much about our world?"

"So… you didn't teach her?"

Peter shook his head, "No. I will say that a lot of things make sense now though. I've been… curious about Kira ever since I met her. At first I thought it was just because she was a Kitsune but there was more to it. Then when she approached me about her Tails and we started spending more time together… I realized that I wanted more. But make no mistake, I didn't do anything until Kira brought it up," Peter stated, looking pointedly at Derek. "She was the one that said she wanted us to be more than just teacher and student, she was the one dictated our relationship. I'm at least enough of an adult to know that my feelings were not to be acted upon without her consent. I did absolutely nothing to push her into this." Well… okay, maybe he had flirted a little bit, but he couldn't help himself. Kira never seemed uneasy with his advances though and that was why he had continued. If there had been even a hint of disquiet, he would have stopped. Hell, now that he thought about it, the only reason he'd flirted with her in the first place was probably because of the signals his Wolf had picked up on. "The moment she Claimed me, I knew the truth."

"And what truth would that be?" Derek sneered. He couldn't believe what he was hearing… Noshiko had allowed her daughter to spend time with Peter… alone?! Had allowed him to teach her about something as intimate as her Tails without any supervision… And to top it off, Kira had been the one to approach Peter? Derek was even more surprised that Noshiko didn't seem to be pissed about the sex part… just the Claiming part of this whole situation. What was going on here?

"He knew that Kira's Fox had marked him from the moment she saw him. Despite the fact that everyone here tried to keep her contact with Peter to a minimum, her Fox still recognized his power. It is… extremely rare that a Kitsune would choose any supernatural creature other than another Kitsune, although Humans are also fairly common. But a Wolf?" Noshiko asked, looking Peter over. "Under normal circumstances I'd say that Kira is too young, like Peter said, she doesn't even know what it means to Claim someone… but the Fox has chosen and I cannot interfere with her choice."

"What?!" Derek growled. "You're her mother, of course you can interfere."

"No, I'm not her mother where our Foxes are concerned. Like I mentioned to Kira, because I was so old, so powerful, when I finally met Ken and we had a child, the Fox Spirit that came to Kira was powerful as well. The Fox is the one that chose Peter, she knew that Peter would be a good choice-"

"A better choice than Scott, a True Alpha?" Derek scoffed. It was no secret that the two of them liked each other, but then Peter went and interfered with that! If she'd picked Scott, the relationship would have gone at a much slower pace, one more acceptable for their age.

Peter curled his lip, the faintest of growls in his throat, "Of course I'm a better choice than Scott. He might technically be a True Alpha, but he's just a pup! I have so much more experience than him and obviously her Fox saw that. A title isn't everything Derek, you know that."

"I completely agree," Noshiko said, crossing her arms. "I would have been extremely upset if Kira had Claimed Scott, or even allowed him to Claim her. At least with Peter, I know Kira is in good hands."

"He's twice her age!"

"And I'm about 20 times older than Ken, your point? If Kira was Human then yes, I'd have a huge problem with her relationship with Peter. But we aren't Human Derek, you know it's different for us. Age is still important but where a Human relationship with such an age difference is clearly suspicious, for us, there is more to the decision. Our instincts come into play and can't be ignored, although usually such a relationship is discussed between families first before a Bond is made." She glanced at Peter although there wasn't a lot of malice in the look. Honestly, with Derek's family history, surely there had been a few marriages that would've been deemed unconventional by Human standards. An adult man had no 'instinctive' reason to date such a young girl, but when their inner spirit/creature recognized a profound bond with someone else, age didn't factor in. There were some that scoffed at the term 'Mate' but it was the unofficial word; it wasn't tied to fate, and the feelings weren't always mutual but the romantic ties were always long lasting.

"I have never…" Derek trailed off, remembering how he felt around Kate. He was about to say that he'd never experienced a strong bond like that before- he'd scoffed when Mom had first told him about 'soul mates'… Now that the memories were in his head… those feelings for Kate, as misguided as they were, maybe that was it? No, Kate had never returned those feelings, it had all been an act! He had been the same age as Kira was now… Surely that meant that Peter was manipulating her in the same manner as Kate had been doing back then. "How can you trust Peter?"

"Kitsune see things in a different light than you Wolves. Peter has taken Kira under his wing, has helped her blossom and come into her powers. For us, that is the ultimate declaration of devotion. Peter may have killed people in the past but even I know that he wasn't killing 'innocents'- he was going after those that murdered his family. I understand that motive completely because I too would have gone to the ends of the Earth to repay that betrayal. That is probably the same thing that Kira's Fox Spirit picked up on, something that Scott would never do, a feeling of security that Scott would have never been able to provide her with. As a mother I am shocked and scared of this turn of events, but as a Kitsune I am more than happy with her choice. She is young but… the Fox has experience." Noshiko turned to Peter, "We have to explain things to her gently… I don't want t overwhelm her with this new development, especially when I can't say for certain that she'll understand. What if she thinks this means the Fox is trying to control her? The first time I… experienced this… I was scared. My parents had put off explaining to me and I had Claimed someone much like Kira, without any knowledge of what I was doing."

"I'm sure we can figure out the right way to tell her. Although I must ask, how did you know? I'm certain that Kira didn't actually confess to our… activities."

"No, she didn't. She told me that her lesson was cut short because Derek was coming back but she was just… elated. I thought maybe she had lied about earning her Tail, why she would lie, I have no idea... but I looked at her aura. When a Kitsune Bonds with someone, their aura grows bright; I recognized the signs right away although the only thing missing was the scar on her neck. I thank you, by the way, for not returning that… for having control where Kira did not."

"You're welcome, although I didn't hold back because I was afraid of your reaction. I held back because I recognized that she is young and that it would be… improper. Of course, this was all something I thought of before I received her Claim. I had some trouble in maintaining control but I managed; afterwards, I knew that I couldn't return it, not until Kira knows the truth."

Derek just stared between the two of them… this was really happening? Noshiko was okay with Kira Claiming Peter, was going to allow this to continue. Peter… was Peter really a changed Wolf?

"Derek… judging by the look on your face, you still don't believe this could be consensual. Although let me say first that by thinking a Kitsune, even a young one, would allow herself to be manipulated into something so serious, is completely insulting. I'll also remind you that Claims can't be forced. Ever. No amount of manipulation could ensure that Kira would Claim me. True, I could have Claimed her but if she was really adverse to the idea, Noshiko would have taught her how to reject the Claim. Not that I've even done that yet. Kira's feelings would have to be pure in order for her to administer the Bite, and even if I was inside her head like with Lydia, it would take me years to manipulate her into those kinds of feelings. Really though, I'm pleased with your overestimation of my abilities, but even I am not that great of a manipulator."

The Beta frowned and then briefly (briefly!), bowed his head as an apology; Peter was right, Claims couldn't be forced. The loft smelled like sex, but as Peter said, everything had been consensual. It had just been… inconceivable to him that Kira would have wanted that… although now that he knew the two of them had been spending time together behind everyone's backs… "And when exactly are we telling Scott about this? He's the Alpha, he should know."

"He's a teenage boy who has no right to butt into people's business. When he starts acting like an Alpha, then he can be treated like one. But even then, a Beta's relationship status is private and no one can demand to know."

"I think he should know that an impressionable teenager is being trained by the least trustworthy Pack member," Derek countered.

Peter smirked, "If her parents are fine with my teaching methods, then what right does Scott have to say she can't learn from me? Don't try and trick me Derek, you only want to take it to Scott so he can forbid me from teaching her. But you should know that Scott will never have enough Alpha force to make me submit to him against my will. Kira wants me to teach her, her parents have allowed it, so he can't stop us. Besides, you aren't even taking Kira's feelings into account here, I'm sure if you told her you were thinking of talking to Scott, she'd be upset with you. Stop trying to act like the Alpha and just go with the flow. We are going to tell Scott eventually but his hands are a little full right now, don't you think?"

"So are you asking me to keep your secret?"

Noshiko smiled at him, "We're asking you to politely not go to Scott with business that doesn't concern you. And some advice, give Peter a chance." With a final look between the two of them, Noshiko took her leave, satisfied. Just this morning, she'd been absolutely wary of Peter but it turns out, it was Kira's Fox that she should have been keeping an eye on. As much as she disliked admitting it, Peter had behaved exceptionally well now that she saw the whole picture. She fully believed him when he said that he'd waited for Kira to state her feelings and she'd seen the proof that he'd stayed in control and hadn't Claimed Kira. Knowing the truth now, she actually felt a lot better about Peter, even if the rest of the Pack still distrusted him; Derek's reaction had also helped show her that they were a little biased against him. Clearly Derek knew that Claims couldn't be forced, and if Kira had been… resistant to Peter's advances, there would have been signs, and yet Derek had immediately ignored it and assumed the worst. Noshiko had always been a fan of coming to her own conclusions about a person's character but this time she'd been foolish enough to just trust what Scott had told her. Of course that didn't mean he'd lied about Peter's past, and it didn't mean that Peter wasn't afraid to show his vicious side, but it was technically in the past. And now she was coming to her own conclusions about the Peter of the present and didn't understand why Scott had a problem.

As the loft door closed, Peter straightened his shirt and pushed past Derek, into the kitchen, "So I guess I can tell you now that I skipped out on going to Scott's because of Kira's lesson. Now you have proof I wasn't lying when I said that I had prior arrangements."

"You have your own place, if you and Kira are going to continue to be a thing then take it there," was all Derek had to say. Obviously he was still upset about being wrong.

"Honestly, the sex wasn't planned, and I had us training in the loft because Noshiko knows where it is. We'll be more… courteous next time," Peter smirked, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge.

"Speaking of your apartment, why don't you just go there?!"

"Because we haven't actually discussed Liam yet, I said I'd help you figure something out… if you still want my help. The earlier disagreement is already in the past."

"I… yea, we need help with him," Derek sighed. "He has a lot of anger and he has medicine for his I.E.D. but he says he doesn't like to take it. Now I don't even know if it would work because of our metabolism…"

"Just take him to Deaton, he'd be able to tell you if he needs to up his dosage or if it's one of those medicines that isn't affected by his new status. How was his shifting?"

"Off and on, constantly. He accused Scott of lying to him, that if he'd known that he'd become a monster then he would have kept the broken leg… So now he's having trouble accepting what he is, which is only making it harder for him to find control."

"Did any of you show him what it meant to be a Wolf? Or did you just tell him?"

"How are we supposed to show him?"

Peter sighed and massaged his temples, "No wonder he's resisting… he thinks that he's a monster now and neither of you gave him proof that he's wrong. What, is he just supposed to take your word for it? Show him what it means to be a Were, take him to our old running trails and let him work out this new energy. Eventually he'll realize that the Wolf inside him will be his biggest ally and not a monster to be shunned. Because of his anger, he needs to be trained more like a wild animal than a person- just don't… tell him that. How do you approach a wild animal? Cautiously and on their terms. So, you have to show Liam that you aren't monsters in order for him to understand since talking isn't working. Maybe a little tough love wouldn't hurt… how do you convince a wild animal not to bite? You show them you aren't to be trifled with… but that's asking too much of our True Alpha."

Derek looked at his uncle with surprise, was Noshiko right… should they be giving him another chance? Desperately he tried to come up with a reason that they couldn't trust Peter but, while Peter might not have acted overly friendly (and reasonably so), he hadn't done anything outright shady. He had helped Lydia when she asked, he helped them save Stiles, and he helped them with the Alpha Pack. None of those things he'd done out of the goodness of his heart except for maybe when he helped save Cora, but they could hardly fault him for that.

"What?" Peter asked, noticing the strange look on Derek's face.

"I… I'm sorry…"

Both brows shot up as he took in Derek's words. Sorry? "For what exactly?" he asked.

"Don't be an ass… I…"

"Derek, you never say you're sorry, I'm merely asking for clarification on which part you are seeking forgiveness for, that's all."

"For not treating you like Pack… I know we have a lot of confusing history and you've manipulated me in the past but… lately, you have been trying and none of us were willing to see that. Your actions of the past can't be forgotten but… maybe your recent resurrection can be a rebirth for you… and your place in the Pack."

Peter was touched, and surprised. It had taken a Kitsune's word to finally make Derek pull his head out of his ass? Maybe he hadn't been, and never would be, the perfect Packmate in Scott's eyes, but he was trying. He was a manipulator by nature and he craved power but he also knew that trying to fight Scott would be a waste of time. Just like he'd butted heads with Talia, he also knew when to go with the flow, and he could do the same for Derek. Now Scott on the other hand, he'd never get along with Scott and his happy-go-lucky attitude, but he wouldn't make trouble. And of course Peter would keep seeking power, he never, ever, wanted to be at anyone else's mercy again but he didn't need to fight against Scott to achieve that goal. That was probably what the others couldn't understand- they knew Peter would stop at nothing to gain power, but they thought he was fixated on Scott. As a True Alpha, Peter couldn't steal power from him so actually the best way to gain power from him was to be his ally, his Packmate, and borrow from the strength of the Pack. Given the chance, if he ever became an Alpha again, would he defect from Scott's Pack? Probably, maybe get some Betas first but it was unlikely he'd continue to let Scott be in a place of power over him. That was in the future though. "Thank you Derek. I've always felt that my previous death was payment for my actions back then. And since I've come back, I've looked out for this rag-tag Pack as best as I could. I know my standing with Scott and the others will never be that great, but I am trying."

Derek nodded and cleared his throat, "Maybe if I can talk Scott into letting you work with Liam… and you do a good job, like with Kira… he'll start to come around as well. I just… it isn't going to be easy."

"I'm used to cleaning up Scott's messes and I'd rather Liam didn't kill anyone, it would bring the Calaveras down on him and as much as I'd like to pay her back for cutting off my finger, we're better off just avoiding them."

"That's right, they said they'd be watching him, I bet he doesn't even remember that," Derek groaned, this was turning into a bigger issue than he'd realized.

Before Peter could respond, his phone chirped and he pulled out of his pocket. It was from Kira, so she must not have known that her mom came to see him.

 _Hey, just letting you know, Mom said we can go tomorrow! Of course she also said to be careful and whatnot but she thinks this favor is good enough so hopefully she won't be as watchful_

He smirked to himself, it was already too late for that, but Noshiko had taken it far better than he'd hoped! Now they just had to break it to Kira… he should start thinking about that since they'd probably have a sit down when they got back from dealing with the Kanima.

 _Sounds good, I'll pick you up from school then, down the street- PH_

Tomorrow he could worry about the conversation, although he felt that Kira would take it alright as long as they explained it in a way she'd understand. Right now though, he had to help Derek come up with a way to help Scott and Liam before anyone else got into trouble.

* * *

A/N: So, I know it's messing with the time line just a bit, how this takes place before the Benefactor and Beserker stuff of Season 4 which also means Scott never went to Mexico and talked with the Calaveras' buuuut, well, this is something that has been on my mind... with the warning she gave him... why hasn't she come back to hunt him down? He turned someone, and she doesn't seem like the kind of lady that cares about circumstances O.O so I'm waiting for her to show up again :P

Also, since the Peter/Kate/Beserker thing hasn't taken place in this story, I'm giving Peter a bit of a redemption arc here. As much as I LOVE evil!Peter, I don't want this story to get too dark so that means keeping him on the light grey side instead of the super dark grey/black side of morality XD Obviously he's still going to be sarcastic and always after his own agenda, he'll never truly get along with Scott but he's not totally going to be stabbing them in the back either like when he was working with Kate. Just stating since the whole "Derek apologizing" thing might seem out of the blue but I think it fits for how I'm portraying Peter here. If this was taking place AFTER season 4 then it would be a LOT harder to fit this redemption in and I wouldn't have even tried it hahaha but it works here I think =) Hope you're enjoying this story as much as I am!

Also, totally not implying that Derek saw Kate as his 'Mate' just that he's confused and in disbelief about this whole thing. I'd think, after what happened with Paige, his Wolf (and his Human side) were in complete turmoil and it skewed his feelings, although I like the idea that Paige had to potential to be his 'Mate' and with her death, his Wolf shut off. My thoughts are that 'Mates' aren't a once-in-a-lifetime thing, just when feeling run deep and the two inner creatures feel deeply connected, as more than just a Human can love.


	8. Getting Stronger

A/N: So, I'm cutting this in half, the school/Liam scene and the Kanima fight and then the next chapter will be the *gasp* "talk" XD I just wanted to be able to fully go into detail with Kira not understanding and being awkward and stuff as well as the fact that it has been awhile since I've posted because the holidays and stress! So here's part one and part too hopefully soon =D  
PS: Fight scenes, even short ones, are hard to write... kudos to the peeps that actually like coordinate them for shows and stuff O.O I don't know how I ever did that big fight scene at the end of The Wolf Reigns story hahaha

Also, moooooore lore stuff, only this time with the Kanima lore because I've always had so many questions about that and Peter ends up explaining it to Kira so I had to come up with some answer that I was satisfied with...

* * *

*Monday*

Kira couldn't believe her ears… seriously? Scott had gathered them all between the buses before school, he'd said it was urgent. And now he was telling them that they needed to keep an ear out for Liam all day. Of course he was a freshman so he didn't have any classes with them, which made monitoring him that much more difficult. She had a hard enough time concentrating in her classes sometimes and now she'd have to actively focus her hearing just in case Liam got set off? Malia was the only one who looked excited about this, probably because she wasn't the biggest fan of school and paying attention anyways, and now Scott was giving her an excuse to slack off. Kira understood that Liam was dangerous right now and that they had no idea if he might fly off the handle but surely Scott could have convinced him to stay home? When she had messaged Peter before bed, he'd told her about how Scott was having trouble because Liam hadn't wanted to listen at all! So Scott couldn't even get near Liam without the freshman tensing up and storming off. Great... that meant that his anger was in constant fluctuation as well. Kira was going to take this all in stride though, this was just more practice for her! The problem was… Scott didn't realize that she needed practice at this, he was fully counting on her to know what she was doing... But with Scott, Malia, and Isaac listening, Liam was probably covered. At least she hoped so... the Kitsune would do her best to help out but she probably wasn't going to be too useful. As the bell rang and they all hurried off to their classes, Kira murmured a quick plea that everything would go okay.

*Second Period History*

Really? Out of all days… her dad decided to have a pop quiz today? Malia was growling quietly in front of her and Stiles was groaning loudly. Hopefully Scott and Isaac were in a better position to listen for Liam. She raced through the quiz, thankfully being a bit of a history nerd (since that was all her dad talked about…), and she was sitting there waiting for everyone else to finish when she heard something. At first it was hard to pick out, since not every single class in the school was having a quiz right now but Scott's voice carried to her ears; it was probably her Fox tuning into the Pack bond. He was calling out for Liam to wait for him and Kira closed her eyes, trying to zero in on Liam's voice… but she wasn't sure what he sounded like. His angry reply wasn't hard to miss though.

"Scott, seriously, get the hell away from me! If you don't leave me alone, I'm telling the principal that you're stalking me. I don't want anything to do with you!"

"Dammit Liam, I'm your Alpha- you have to listen to me," Scott answered, and if Kira was honest, he sounded pleading instead of authoritative. He definitely wasn't inspiring Liam either, judging by the Beta's reply…

"I said leave me alone!"

Kira jumped at a sudden loud noise, maybe Scott getting slammed into the lockers? Or Liam punched a locker, something metallic had definitely been hit… but there weren't any growls and Scott stayed quiet. Hopefully he was letting Liam walk away; it was obvious that his presence was only making the situation worse. Maybe Isaac should try to approach Liam instead, that might be easier on the freshman. If he thinks Scott lied to him and betrayed him, then he wasn't going to listen to anything he said right now. She sighed to herself and tuned down her ears, not wanting to blast her eardrums if something loud happened in class.

Stiles leaned over, whispering, "Hey, everything okay out there?" He had noticed that Malia had almost jumped out of her chair, he'd been about to dismiss it as absolute frustration with the quiz but then he noticed Kira's look of concentration as well.

"Mr. Stilinski, I'd hate to assume you're cheating and give you a zero on the quiz," Mr. Yukimura called out.

"No um, of course not," Stiles said, looking forward again.

Kira chewed on her lip, thankful that her dad had decided to say something because honestly, she wasn't sure how to answer Stiles's question. There wasn't a fight that needed to be broken up, but Liam was getting riled up and stressed out which was bad. Maybe… maybe he could tell Scott to just back off a bit, give Liam a couple of hours to come to terms with everything. . Stiles was his best friend, Scott was most likely to listen to him…. He really needed to give the new kid some space... He was probably trying to focus on school right now and every time Scott tried to talk to him, it was a blatant reminder of his 'monster'-ness. She sighed heavily and buried her face in her hands- how were they going to get through the rest of the day like this?

*Fourth Period Algebra 2*

Ugh, this day was going by so slow! Lunch had been a disaster… Liam had stormed out of the cafeteria, eyes glowing and on the verge of shifting… but that probably had to do with the fact that Malia had been glaring at him the whole time! Not staring, downright glaring. She was offended by Liam's reaction if Kira had to guess; here she was trying to learn how to be more in touch with her inner… well, coyote, and Liam was doing his best to ignore everything. Plus the cafeteria was always really noisy and it seemed to be getting to Liam since he didn't know how to adjust his hearing at all… When he did finally storm out, Scott had been about to follow but thankfully Isaac grabbed his shoulder. The blonde went after him instead, promising to keep his distance and just follow to make sure Liam didn't encounter anyone. Now they were all back in class and Kira was on edge, she could just tell that things were going to explode soon. She wasn't focusing on what Mrs. Duff was saying at all, she'd have to get notes from Lydia later…

She was doodling on her notes when she finally heard it, a loud snarl and a deep growl in response to whatever threat. Her hand shot into the air, "Excuse me, Mrs. Duff, may I go to the bathroom?!" This wasn't just another hallway spat, even her inexperienced ears could tell it was going to escalate.

Mrs. Duff sighed but nodded her head, "Five minutes."

Kira grabbed the bathroom pass and hurried from the room, running towards the sounds of the fight. It was so loud in her ears, she was surprised that other kids weren't piling into the hallways to see just what the hell was going on. But then again, she was acutely tuned to Scott's voice and had been listening for Liam intently. As she darted around another corner, she was surprised to find out the noises were coming from the locker room and now she registered that there was another growling voice in addition to Scott's and Liam's… Kira pushed the door open and skidded to a stop, taking in the scene. Liam was being held in the shower area, pushed up against the wall by Malia and Scott. The shower was on, as if the cold water would help calm him down… he was angry, not horny, Kira scowled to herself- even she knew that wouldn't help center him... it was only making him angrier. Allison and Stiles were here as well, the Hunter with her miniature crossbow out and pointed right at Liam's chest.

"Seriously, Liam, calm down," Stiles called out, unfazed by the loud snarls coming from the soaked Beta. Apparently he thought that Liam was just being dramatic, and this wasn't the first comment he'd made.

Scott turned and gave his friend a pleading look, "Stiles, not helping…"

"He isn't getting away, and we'll be here until he learns to control it," Allison said, eyes narrowing as she kept the boy in her sights. "Unless he wants to find out what an arrow feels like."

"I don't think this is helping at all," Kira stated, too shocked to come any closer to the rag tag group of watch dogs. There was no way Liam would rein his anger back in if they were treating him like this! How could Allison say something like that? She could understand that the Hunter would act that way around Peter but Liam didn't deserve her distrust just because he was having a hard time. "No wonder he thinks Werewolves are monsters! You're treating him like he is one!"

Stiles, Allison, and Scott all turned to look at her, surprised by her appearance; apparently they'd been so focused on Liam they hadn't even heard her come in. But that meant that only Malia was fully focused on the angry teenager and he easily knocked Scott aside. Malia struggled to hold onto him but Liam completely ignored her and the deep gashes her claws made in his arm as he flew right towards Stiles. Stiles let out a terrified scream, scrambling backwards and tripping over a bench and Allison spun back around, raising her crossbow. She squeezed the trigger but the bolt zipped past Liam and ricocheted off the tile in the showers.

It took only a split second for Kira to realize what was happening and as soon as his feet touched the concrete floor, the Kitsune raised a hand and ropes of electricity flew from her hand, enveloping the rogue Beta. The lively ropes wrapped around his torso and arms, locking his muscles up and he dropped to his knees; the electricity was toned down, she didn't want to send him flying or kill him, just subdue him. Slowly she approached, crouching down in front of the boy. "Liam, I need you to take control. I can't let you go until you're Human again."

Liam roared in response but the glow in his eyes faded a bit. His anger level must be extremely high, electricity usually hampered a Were's shift but he wasn't changing back. Kira thought for a moment about upping the voltage but she didn't want Liam to think she was punishing him. So she slowly lifted her hand, reaching out to cup his cheek, "Liam, I know you're still in there. Take back control and I can let you go okay? I just don't want you to hurt Stiles, and I'm sure you don't want to hurt him either, right?"

Slowly, Liam shook his head and his features softened, returning to Human and grimacing from the shock therapy. Once she was satisfied that he was really in control, Kira pulled her electricity back. "Come on," she said, standing and offering him a hand.

Liam looked at her, surprised… wasn't she scared of him? Well honestly, she had no reason to be- she shot electricity out of her hands and even managed to stop him mid attack. Thank goodness there was someone here that could stop the monster…. He took her offered hand and stood up, looking down at the floor, doing his best to ignore everyone else in the room or else risk getting set off again.

Kira smiled at him, not remembering the other people in the room until Malia's growls filled the room. The Coyote took a menacing step forward, eyes glowing, and Kira noticed Liam tense up next to her. This was absolutely ridiculous! She raised her hand, lightning arcing from her fingers, "Malia, do not attack him or I'll be forced to stop you."

"Stop me? He went after Stiles! I thought we didn't attack Packmates Kira," Malia asked, confused as to why the Fox was protecting the dangerous pup. It wasn't like Kira to resort to violence, and definitely not against a Packmate in defense of an outsider. Besides, he clearly didn't understand how things worked and she was more than happy to teach him.

"He _is_ Pack and he's still learning! None of you have given him any reason to trust you! Stiles should know by now that his snarky comments aren't helping! Just because Scott got through his first few months okay doesn't mean that Liam's Wolf recognizes any of you. Hell, Scott and Stiles have known each other for years and how many times did Scott try to eat him? Peter was right, you aren't ready for this Scott!" With that Kira pulled Liam out of the locker room. Seriously, Malia still had trouble recognizing Stiles on the full moons and she was mad at Liam for going after Stiles? He wasn't a threat anymore, he had shifted back and Stiles was unharmed, she had no reason to start a fight, couldn't she see that? Kira wanted to scream in frustration, how could Scott handle two out of control Weres? There was no way Malia counted as a safe Beta- she got frustrated and shifted all the time. Hell, Scott wasn't even the one in charge of teaching the Coyote, Stiles was… a Human. This whole Pack was ass-backwards right now…

Inside the locker room, Malia was fussing over Stiles while Allison scooped up her small bolt, tucking it into her pocket. Stiles scoffed to himself, "Okay, I'll be the one to ask then… when the hell did Kira learn how to do that?! I thought her mom didn't want to teach her yet?"

"I… I have no idea…" Scott murmured, staring at the closed door, mind racing. For just a moment he wondered if maybe Kira was losing control to the Fox Spirit but he dismissed that thought instantly. She had been in total control the whole time, Kira had gotten a lot more powerful since the last time he'd seen her use her powers. Why hadn't she told any of them about it?

Allison came up to him, awkwardly patting him on the shoulder, "She's wrong you know, you can handle this just fine. Liam will learn how to control it, just like you did, just like Isaac did. If Malia can learn, he can too." Too bad Isaac hadn't been here to help, three Weres against one would have been better odds of course. And if they hadn't all been surprised by Kira, Allison surely wouldn't have missed her shot. The Hunter didn't stop to ponder Kira's first outburst, about how they were looking at this wrong. Scott was his Alpha now and she believed in him, even if they weren't dating anymore. Scott hadn't led them astray yet after all.

Scott nodded but deep down, he knew Kira was right… He just always thought that Derek had a fairly easy time when he turned Isaac, Erica, and Boyd… he definitely never heard otherwise! And he personally had such good control now that he didn't often think about just how many close calls he and Stiles had had last year… But that was why he had even asked Derek for help! He wasn't trying to do this on his own, he had asked a more experienced Were for help- Derek had been an Alpha previously after all, on top of his family knowledge. But Liam was being resentful and he was resisting, how was Scott supposed to work with someone like that?! He had just wanted to make it up to Liam… He knew all too well what it was like to sit on the bench and Liam was a brilliant player! Too late Scott realized that he shouldn't have blindly offered the Bite to Liam… he had messed things up and Stiles had almost gotten hurt… Even if Kira's entrance was what had distracted them in the first place and allowed Liam to break free, Scott was smart enough to admit that there were plenty of other things in the room that might have distracted him and gave Liam the same opening. Stiles's comments had definitely been amping Liam up the whole time and Scott had taken his eyes off Liam to talk with Stiles… It was a miracle he hadn't broken free then. Hell, he knew Allison meant well but her comment just made him feel worse. Isaac learned control from Derek, not him, and Stiles was teaching Malia control… He dismissed everyone back to their classes. He dismissed everyone back to their classes. He swore that he'd find a way to make all of this right, he'd make a good Beta out of Liam, somehow. And maybe he'd become better at the Alpha thing too.

Out in the halls, Kira was still leading Liam away from the locker room. He could tell that she was ticked off but he was surprised that it wasn't at him.

"I… I didn't go after him because he agitated me," Liam whispered after a moment of letting her pull him along. "I just… he was Human and was the easiest target… I… god I wanted to tear him apart! And Scott keeps trying to tell me I'm not a monster?!"

"Hey… he's right, you aren't a monster, but I completely understand how that's hard to believe right now. It's just… the Wolf inside you is… they are trying to find equilibrium within you and they feed off intense emotions…. All that anger you have built up inside you is only making it harder to control, that's why this is hard for you right now. You aren't a monster, you are still you- there is just more to you now. I can't…. I'm not a good person to try and explain it because I'm not a Werewolf… and I know Scott has just been making it worse by getting in your space-"

"He lied to me, so why should I trust anything else he has to say? He just wanted to turn me because he wanted more power! He told me about how Wolves are stronger in Packs, I'm not stupid."

Kira shook her head, "No, Scott isn't like that at all. He really did want to help you he's just… really, really bad at explaining this. You just need time to understand your Wolf and how to control it and things will get better."

"Yea, whatever… where are we going anyways?" Liam asked, wanting to change the subject.

"I'm taking you to Ms. Morrell, she knows all about the supernatural so I think maybe talking to her will help, since she's a counselor you know?"

"I've talked to plenty of counselors and it hasn't helped with my anger…. No offense to Ms. Morrell."

Kira laughed, "Ms. Morrell isn't like most counselors, and you aren't going to her to talk about your anger, you're going to her so you can just… let out all your emotions about being a Were now. She'll probably have some good advice for you. She isn't tied to Scott's Pack at all, she's a neutral party that knows the truth so I think she'd a good place to start. I know what it's like to have to find a different mentor…"

"What do you mean?" That was an option? He didn't _have_ to learn from Scott?

"My mom was supposed to teach me about my heritage but her methods weren't working for me and I found someone else to tutor me. Mom wasn't very happy about it but she's realized that it works for me so she's had to accept it. Now Scott just has to realize that he isn't taking the right approach with you… but he doesn't want to listen to Peter…" It was stupid that Derek had to get help from Peter and then Derek would take Peter's ideas and pass them onto Scott and Derek would get the credit!

Liam stopped outside of Ms. Morrell's office, "Who is this Peter person? You mentioned him back in the locker room too."

Kira flushed and cleared her throat, "He's my mentor. He's a part of the Pack, a Werewolf as well, but Scott doesn't trust him at all- you can't tell Scott! Please! He doesn't know that Peter is teaching me…" Oh crap, she'd said too much!

"I don't plan on talking to Scott at all right now, so I won't say anything about this," he promised. She had stopped him from killing someone today, the least he could do was keep her secret. Although maybe Peter was someone he should seek out? He wanted nothing to do with Scott right now and that Derek guy was just so grumpy…. If she could do it then he could too. "Um thanks, I guess I can try talking to her. At least this way I know Scott won't try to talk to me again while I'm here."

Kira nodded, opening the door and quickly introducing Liam to the counselor, explaining the situation; as she went to leave, Kira thought she saw a smirk on the counselor's face but a second glance and it was gone… maybe she imagined it. There was definitely nothing amusing about this situation...

"Miss Yukimura, wouldn't you like a pass? Surely you've been out of class for longer than 5 minutes. And thank you, if you hadn't helped out, I was about to step in and we all know that Scott hates when I get involved." Surprisingly neither of them bothered to ask how she knew about the situation from halfway across campus. Kira must already be used to her brother's obtuse way of handling situations and his vague explanations, good.

"Oh yea, thank you! Mrs. Duff would give me like a week's worth of detention if I didn't come in with a pass." She took the signed paper from Ms. Morrell and hurried back to class, hoping Liam was in good hands. Surely she was better equipped to handle Liam than she was though- and Scott, Scott was clearly in over his head. Once Liam calmed down and was willing to listen, Scott could try to bond with him then. Kira was pretty sure that once Liam and his Wolf found a balance, he'd be willing to get to know everyone in the Pack better, after all, Wolves felt a strong pull towards Pack. His Wolf was just more focused on all that anger… But Scott was the exact same way at first so she wasn't really worried about Liam, this was a natural learning period. Maybe Liam's I.E.D. put him at more of a disadvantage than Scott and the other when they'd first been Bitten but that was all the more reason for everyone to be patient and gentle with him.

"Miss Yukimura I certainly hope you have an excuse?" Mrs. Duff called out as soon as Kira stepped back inside.

"Um yea, I have a note from Ms. Morrell, someone was having a um, crisis and I helped out." Kira quickly handed over the note and the bathroom pass before heading back to her seat. Yea… she was definitely going to need the notes from Lydia now… But at least she helped Liam calm down! And in a few hours, she'd help some other innocent people by finding and healing a Kanima!

*After School*

Kira rushed out the front doors, knowing that if she lingered, Scott and the others would try to talk to her about what happened with Liam. She knew this because Stiles had already tried in 5th period but Kira had managed to ignore him, needing to take notes. But Scott would be harder to ignore, as her Alpha… As she was cutting through the parking lot she heard Allison and Lydia both calling out her name but she didn't even pause or look back, that way she could feign ignorance later. When she got to the sidewalk, Kira looked both ways, spotting Peter's car halfway down the block; hiking her backpack up higher, she jogged towards the car, eager to get going.

"Hey, how was your day?" Peter asked as soon as she climbed in.

"Stressful honestly, Scott and Malia kept riling Liam up, for different reasons, and he finally lost it during 4th period."

"He didn't hurt anyone right?"

Kira shook her head, "No but… he did lunge at Stiles- I stopped him though! I just… he can learn, right?"

"Yea, he can, if he chooses to listen. If Scott can get through to him… Liam just has to find the method that works best for him, like all new Wolves. His situation is just a bit different than normal but that doesn't make him a lost cause yet." Now if his Wolf started to gain control and he went Rogue, well... they'd have a problem on theirs hands but they still had time.

"Well I might have… helped… or I made it worse, I'm not sure yet." Kira went on to repeat what she had told Liam before leaving him with Ms. Morrell.

Peter approved of what she said, it mirrored a lot of his own thoughts, if in a nicer tone; and Marin was all about balance so he wasn't worried about her corrupting Liam or anything. She was shady in a lot of ways but she took her position as a Druid very seriously and Peter knew that would keep her on the up and up with the Beta. Besides, if Liam actually managed to let out his feelings, she could point him in the right direction to finding his Anchor and with it, control. But he wasn't worried about Liam right now, it was on Scott to keep him in line and most of the Pack would be at practice with him anyways. "So, are you sure you're ready to find a Kanima?"

"Yes, although, can we stop by the house first? I should probably have my katana."

"Already grabbed it. Since your parents know I'm your mentor and that we're going on a hunt today, your mom wasn't surprised to see me knock on the door. In fact she had it ready, handed it to me before I could even finish asking for it. I think she's a little on edge about you going off into your first battle… well I guess it's not your first, you did fight the Oni and then the Nogitsune as well. But this isn't a necessary battle, this is the first one you're participating in by choice. And she can't be there to keep you safe."

"Yea, the others were because we were all threatened and I wanted to help. This isn't even a Pack fight, like it's just you and me. But I know we can handle this." She turned and looked at Peter, heart speeding up, "Besides, you'll be keeping me safe."

"I won't let anything bad happen to you," he promised.

She knew he meant it and that was why she was eager for this instead of scared. Kira took a deep breath and settled her nerves, she felt like bursts of electricity were going to erupt from her any second! This was absolutely thrilling! The almost fight with Liam probably amped up her energy, but in a good way, because now Kira was even more sure of her powers. She had stopped Liam in his tracks! Just to be safe though, she decided to ask Peter what he knew about Kanimas and what made them dangerous.

"Well a Kanima is a creature that has lost their way, someone that can't achieve their true shift because they don't have an identity. They are so lost that they aren't consciously aware of their actions when they are shifted, the Kanima and the person are completely separated, they don't share memories or awareness."

"How come? Even Liam is aware of things when he's shifted… a Kanima doesn't remember at all?"

Peter shook his head, "No, they often have no idea they have even become shifters, unless their new master tells them, shows them proof. But even then, they can never remember what they do when they are in their secondary form. Calling out the person's name doesn't help either since the Kanima does not mentally recognize who they are in their other life."

"How come… I… How come some people have trouble shifting? I always thought… well I mean, unofficially of course, before I knew this was real… I always thought that either you were born into a specific species, or when you were 'chosen' you turned into the same creature as whatever attacked you. I don't understand how the 'identity' part works…"

"Yea, that confuses a lot of people that are new to the whole supernatural world. I'll start by saying this, birth trumps everything. Second, Human is almost always a possibility, at least for shifters, witches, et cetera, for some, like Faeries, they always have Faery children, they are on a different level than what we're talking about. Anyways, shifters, any child born has the option of being completely Human, or it is split between what your parents are. That's why Malia is a Coyote, because her mother was one. The variations come into play when people are turned after they are born. Also, Kanimas cannot be born, even if both of their parents happen to be one, the child will be Human or they will act as a predictor for what at least one of the parents will shift into. With me so far?"

Kira nodded, "Yea, since the shift, or I guess animal, is tied to the person, it makes sense that a baby can't be born confused about their identity, they don't even know what that means. Confusion about oneself can't be passed down genetically like that. They'd pass on the shifter DNA they carry, even if they don't recognize it in themselves."

"Correct. Now, the 'venom' that turns people into shifters depends on the person in question, there is an intelligence to it, as creepy as that sounds. It will rewrite your DNA, and awakens an inner animalistic drive. But it needs that core identity in order to work. Scott became a Wolf because of his drive to help others, his caring nature, it resonated with the Pack mentality. Although I have to say, the odds of Erica, Isaac, Boyd, Jackson, and Liam all turning into Wolves as well… surprising… Erica wanted friends, wanted to belong so her being a Wolf isn't that weird, whereas Isaac, I think he only became a Wolf because that's what Derek convinced him to be. It's completely dependent on the person going through the transformation."

"But I thought… at least with Jackson, he wanted to be a Wolf?" Kira had been confused when Scott and the others had given her some background on the Pack's previous adventures. Scott hadn't known much about why Jackson had become a lizard, just that he did and at the time, she hadn't asked questions. But now that Peter was giving her more details, she realized how little the rest of them understood about this part of their lives so she wasn't going to hold back on the questions.

"And later, he became one, but on the inside he was beyond confused, lost, and the 'venom' picked up on that more than his desire to be stronger like Scott. He thought he wanted to be a Wolf, but really he just wanted someone else to decide for him. That's why Kanimas are so rare, it isn't very often that a person feels so internally conflicted about themselves. But when a person doesn't know who they want to be, they have nothing to base their transformation off of. So they become a Kanima, a creature whose sole purpose is to find a master that will tell them who they are. So theoretically speaking, a Kanima can go through their life without needing to be 'fixed' if they find a good master. They don't _need_ to kill and they don't need to achieve their true shift. They only want to do what they are told. Which Humans twisted and used to their advantage, turning their new 'pets' into killers because a Kanima is blindly accepting of anything the master tells them to do.

"Because life has a way of balancing everything out, this led to the Kanima's curse, something that would act as a limit to a master's power over the servant. So if the master ever kills innocents, they begin to lose their humanity as part of the curse. It is normally supposed to add a balance to the world, but people are often stupid and dismiss the curse. I've bonded with a Kanima once, it was an interesting experience, honestly that's why I know so much- I learned it through the bond. A Kanima wants to be wanted so badly, wants to belong, that they communicate their desires to their master."

"How come the master gets turned into a Kanima too? And what dictates innocent?" Kira asked, fascinated. "And you have to tell me what that was like!"

" Well innocent can be hard to define but what I've been able to put together is that it heavily depends on the mindset of the one doing the killing. If a Wolf kills someone solely in self defense and truly feels like their life was in danger, they would most likely keep their golden eyes. With a Kanima master, if they were truly wronged by someone, if in their mind, the person deserves death, then they probably won't be at risk. Sadly the original Kanima isn't exempt from the killing rules, that's why Jackson's eyes are blue. As long as the master is honest, the Kanima is safe from being marked. But if the master ignores the rules, the servant is marked by the shift in color, it just doesn't show in a Kanima's eyes until they achieve their true form."

"But… A Kanima doesn't remember their shifts, that's… that's not fair!"

"That comes back to the master though, as long as they only kill those that deserve it, they won't break the rules but if the master makes them kill an innocent, it is registered as them breaking the rules. It isn't a perfect system, the rules are very strict, we just have to accept it as the way it is."

Kira cleared her throat, "Will you ever tell me how you got your blue eyes?"

"You want to know?"

"I am curious yes but if it's something you don't want to talk about… I'm sure it's not a good memory…"

Peter smiled at her, "How about I'll tell you after you master your next Tail? It's just a part of my past and I don't regret it. I just haven't told the others because… well we got off on the wrong foot and I love hearing all the outrageous guesses they come up with. I don't have any issue in sharing my past with you. Besides, it actually ties in with the Kanima story."

"Deal!" Kira smiled, looking down at her lap. It made her feel special to know that Peter was willing to tell her personal things. Not to mention that he was going out of his way to teach her lore about all these other creatures as well. "Okay, back to the Kanima, what should I be on the lookout for?"

As he drove, Peter filled her in on the basics about fighting a Kanima, what to look out for and to always avoid the claws. By the time they finally pulled into town, Kira was feeling a little apprehensive about the fight now but she couldn't freeze up, so might as well keep up the conversation to distract herself. "Where are we going exactly?"

"Deaton told me that the attacks were all centered around a specific neighborhood, so it's a good bet that the master is around there somewhere. But even if they don't live in the area, it should be a good place to pick up a scent."

Kira nodded and rolled down her window at the same time Peter did; they were getting closer to the action and Kira suddenly felt calm as she focused on her sense of smell. It took a few turns before she finally caught a whiff of something that made her nose tingle. "Are we close? I've never smelled a Kanima before but… we're coming up on something, right?"

"Indeed we are, good instincts. That is definitely the concentrated smell of Kanima… which means the master isn't smart- good for us."

"What do you mean?"

"If the person controlling the Kanima were smart, or I guess, supernaturally aware, they'd know better than to keep the Kanima's lair so close to home. Not only that, but a scent only gets this heavy when the Kanima shifts often or has been shifted for long periods of time…. If I remember correctly," Peter mumbled to himself. "Brady Springs is a big enough town but there was a missing person report that went out within 24 hours of the first Kanima attack. They are predictable creatures; the first thing one would do is try and find a master so it isn't unreasonable that they found someone that same night. And once the master has bonded with them, they'll understand just what the Kanima is capable of."

"And our murderer would have taken immediate advantage. How long ago was the report?"

"She was reported missing, and the first murder happened, 8 days ago."

Kira frowned, "So… this person has been trapped in their shift for over a week?"

"That's what it's starting to look like." Peter gripped the steering wheel harder, he was counting on the master being there when they arrived. He wasn't going to let this person continue their abuse, shifters were supposed to be powerful, not submitted to someone else's will! Let alone trapped in a shift for weeks at a time just to please someone else. Scott might think he was a monster but he never, ever, treated his Kanima this way.

"That's awful," Kira murmured. The only solace she could find was that the person trapped right now would have no recollection of their time. It would suck to come back to yourself and have such a large chunk of time missing, but it would be better to have a blank memory than memories of killing people because you were ordered to. As they turned down streets, Kira noticed that the scent was getting stronger, they were heading in the right direction.

In a few more minutes, Peter pulled over and turned off the car, eyeing a small house with a foreclosed sign on the lawn. The first and third murders were real estate agents, both working for the same company, the one in charge of selling this place. Of course the police were looking into the former owners but nothing panned out. Then some other people from the neighborhood starting dying too, making the real estate agents seem like crimes of opportunity from someone in the area. Peter scowled to himself as he got out of the car, the police were so stupid. The killer was in the house, there were signs of activity on the side of the house, probably coming in and out of the windows since the front door was sealed off. Signs of Human activity, not just Kanima activity. They probably did an initial search of the house and saw no reason to look again, idiots. "Come on, over there," he told Kira, popping open the trunk so she could get her katana.

"You're sure?"

"Yup, positive. Deaton didn't say anything about what do to with the master but if we're lucky they are hiding out with the Kanima. Maybe we can leave the police a present, do their job for them." And maybe the person resisted and ended up dead.

The couple hurried across the street and jumped the fence, crouching in the backyard.

"What's the plan exactly?" Kira asked.

"Since the master has no problem killing anyone, we have to assume that we'll be in danger as soon as we enter the house. Best bet would be to disable the Kanima as quickly as we can because even if we knock out the master, once an order has been given, only another order can stop the Kanima. The Human can't do anything to us so we'll worry about them last."

"Sounds good." Kira unsheathed her sword and held the cover in her offhand, it was sturdy enough to be used as a secondary weapon if need be. Then she materialized three medium sized orbs, concentrating intensely as she materialized them. _Disable. Disable._ An image of a Kanima flooded her mind as she concentrated. Hopefully this worked… At least this way, if she got separated from Peter, she'd have some back up. If it worked.

"We go in fast, be ready for anything, so keep your senses open. All set?" Peter asked, hands poised to open one of the windows. At Kira's nod, he lifted the window and clambered inside, claws and fangs out. The Kanima was already ready for them, crouched down low on the floor further down the narrow hallway, hissing as Kira climbed into her lair. The three of them stared at each other for a few seconds before the Kanima rushed them. Peter reacted instantly, roaring and then leaping over the lizard, rolling and springing to his feet behind her, splitting her attention.

Kira twirled her sword, quickly warming up the spark, letting her energy pour into the weapon like before. The Kanima spun to face her, the crackle of electricity getting her attention, and then she leapt towards the ceiling, crawling away into a larger room. Both intruders followed quickly, Kira throwing a hand out, shooting out a rope of energy like earlier and zapping the lizard, knocking her to the floor.

Peter took advantage and jumped on the downed creature, slashing at her face, deftly dodging the dangerous claws. But then the powerful tail wrapped around his neck and threw him into a wall; as he stood up he sensed motion to his left right before someone tackled him to the ground. He snarled and felt a scaly hand wrap around his throat, his eyes registering a half shifted face of a man. "So, the curse is already that far along huh?" Peter smirked. The master was only half Human, barely able to control the original Kanima at this point; he was stronger than normal but still no match for Peter. Thankfully the guy hadn't formed his venom glands yet, he barely had sharp nails at this point, or Peter would be out for the count. He snapped the man's wrist and rolled them both so he was straddling him.

When Peter was thrown free from the Kanima, Kira hurried forward to keep her subdued, electrified katana swinging through the air. But the lizard was fast, rolling onto their feet and scampering away; the tail whipped the air behind her as she moved but Kira was expecting it. The Kitsune blocked with her katana, sharp blade cutting into the skin and there was an angry shriek as the lightning flowed into her body. Just as Kira was debating how to best keep the Kanima busy, she heard a snarl coming from Peter. Just like that, her attention wavered and the more experienced fighter saw an opening. The Kanima leapt at her and Kira reacted solely on instinct, sheath coming up to block the clawed hands inches from her face and her katana thrust forward, cutting the creature's side. As the lizard thrashed backwards, untangling herself from Kira, the Fox felt a sharp sting and then numbness on her left hand. A scared whine escaped her as she realized how quickly the venom was spreading. The Kanima was still struggling to regain control of her limbs from the massive shock but the look in her eyes was dangerous. Maybe she'd have time to come up with a plan before the numbness spread… otherwise...

Peter's fist connected with the guy's jaw a few times before he hauled him to his feet. He then sent the guy flying with a solid kick to the ribs, knocking him into a wall and he dropped to the floor, unconscious… maybe dead. A cry reached his ears and he spun, looking for Kira. Her sword was still up but it was wavering and her left arm was hanging limply at her side. The Kanima must have gotten her… he rushed forward, leaping in front of her as the Kanima attacked once more. Peter caught the lizard's wrists, roaring loudly before viciously slamming his head into her face. While the creature was disoriented, he kicked one of her knees, the pop of the joint drowned out by the deafening screeches of pain; he kept attacking, pushing the Kanima further away from Kira. Peter rolled suddenly, twisting so the creature was over top of him, his feet pushing on her stomach, sending her flying with an intense snarl.

The Kitsune watched as Peter fought the Kanima, thankful that he came when he did… She had been weak… she's almost paid a heavy price for her distraction… But she wouldn't be weak now, wouldn't distract Peter in this deadly situation. It was scary, feeling her body grow heavy, feeling her muscles shake as she strained to stay standing. She bit her lip, refusing to whine out loud because it wasn't like she was dying. But still, it was scary and she felt tears stinging her eyes. The venom was too strong, it spread so fast, and her knees gave out.

A thud behind him drew his attention away from the threat- the Kanima had been knocked through the doorway and into another room, he could spare a moment. He saw Kira on her knees, head lolled onto her chest, Peter rushed forward to catch her just before she hit the floor. "I've got you," he whispered.

Before Kira could say anything, warn him not to let his guard down, a prolonged shriek filled the room. A few feet away, the Kanima (who had been stalking towards them) was writhing on the ground as orbs of electricity connected with her torso repeatedly.

Kira let out a shaky laugh of relief, "It worked…"

"You can still control your lightning when you're paralyzed?" Peter asked. He had been hoping they wouldn't have to find out, that wasn't a topic that had come up when he was in Japan.

"No… those are the three from earlier. I think they only kicked in because suddenly I was scared that we were done for. I can still feel my energy flowing in my body but it is extremely hard to try and control it. If I overloaded my body I can produce some but I don't think I'd be able to control it- I'd just be a lump of erratic energy… Hurry, go tie them up before my orbs die out, I have no idea how long they'll keep that up."

Peter nodded, gently lying Kira down on the floor and pulling the specially made zip-ties from his back pocket. Deaton said they were imbued with mountain ash and Peter wasn't really sure how he was able to handle them…. As long as they didn't lock around his wrists they'd be fine though.

"You should be able to touch her, I was focusing pretty heavily on the Kanima when I summoned those, I'm hoping the energy won't shift to you," Kira called out as he knelt down next to the thrashing lizard.

Carefully Peter reached out and gripped a wrist, letting out a breath when he wasn't jolted along with the lizard. Quickly he grabbed the other wrist and fastened a zip-tie around both of them. As soon as the completed circle touched the Kanima's skin the scales started to fade and when he fastened her ankles together, the same thing. The Kanima was about half shifted back before the orbs of lightning finally died out, the woman passing out as her Human features came into view.

"How come she shifted back? I didn't kill her right?" Kira asked, voice trembling a bit.

"No, no she isn't dead. It's these ties, I think there is more to them than just mountain ash. The mountain ash will ensure that they don't break free while we're transporting them but it wouldn't disable the shift…" Peter cautiously held the zip-ties up, wondering just that the hell they were made of. Deaton hadn't warned him about touching them or needing gloves so it had to be something that needed a complete circle to activate, like mountain ash. He didn't have time to ponder it though, they needed to get out of here, so he quickly tied up the half cursed master as well before returning to Kira. "Come on, time to go," he said softly, lifting her up. Her sword clattered to the floor but his arms were full and he ignored it, easily maneuvering through the house and back out the window, over the fence, and to the car. He got her in the car and buckled her in, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Don't forget my katana please."

"Of course not, I'd be a horrible person if I left that here," Peter replied quietly.

"I'm sorry… I tried but in the end I still got scratched and put our mission at risk," she sighed, closing her eyes and willing her tears not to fall.

Peter leaned forward and kissed her, hands cupping her cheeks, "In the end, you're the one that managed to subdue the Kanima, if you hadn't thought ahead like that, we'd be in trouble. With you paralyzed and unable to accurately control your lightning, I would have had a long fight on my hands- those lizards are resilient. I'll be right back, don't beat yourself up about it too much, you did really well."

Peter hurried back into the house, stooping to grab the katana and tuck it back in its sheath then he moved and scooped up the still unconscious woman. Just as Peter suspected, she was the woman in the report, she'd been stuck as a Kanima for 8 days. Hopefully the people at Eichen could help her… Peter quickly glanced at the other person in the room, debating with himself what to do. But he knew with the curse this severe, it would be too dangerous to leave him to the police. So the asshole would be traveling in the trunk since even Deaton's special zip-ties did nothing to revert the curse- he wasn't shifting, he was transforming, it was different. But he was the last trip, right now he had Kira's katana in one hand and the woman over his other shoulder. Luck better still be on his side, he didn't need any witnesses to this. He rushed to the car, tucking the woman in the back seat and covering her with a blanket, thankful that it was still back there. The katana was tucked under the seat, he popped the trunk and went back into the house one last time.

When he finally started the car moments later, he sped away from the neighborhood, not wanting to push his luck. The car was silent until they were back on the freeway heading home.

"Did we really do it?" Kira asked, shifting in her seat sluggishly.

"Yea, we did, retrieved one Kanima and even one half cursed Kanima master. How are you feeling? Are you really moving already?" Peter asked, shocked.

Kira wiggled her fingers, only barely able to lift her hand, "Eh, it's sluggish, but I mean, the paralysis doesn't last forever, why are you surprised?"

"Because I'd barely be wiggling my toes right now if it were me." Peter quickly glanced at Kira, eyes flared to take in her aura. There it was, shining back at him as brilliant as before…. It had to do with the amount of power she had, the Tails flooding her system with extra healing strength. Damn, if that was the case, would a Kitsune with Noshiko's power level even feel the sting of Kanima venom?

"I… I don't know then, but I can move mostly, just takes a lot of effort."

Peter smiled at her, "Well, you have no reason to push your body to heal, just relax for now, it will wear off soon enough."

Kira nodded and settled back in her seat, feeling drained now that the adrenaline ran out, but they had done it! She was content to sit back, letting the numbness slowly fade from her body; it wasn't until they reached the turn off for Beacon Hills that she moved again. Sitting forward, she opened up the glove box and retrieved her phone (can't have it break during a fight).

"What's up?"

"I figure we should message Deaton, so he can call Eichen and let them know we're coming in with a… um… delivery."

"Good thinking, that will make our stop faster. You have his number?"

Kira nodded, "Got it from Scott pretty early on since he's kind of our go-to guy. Never texted him before though." She scrolled through her phone, finding the vet's number and sending him a quick message. A few minutes later a reply came back.

 _I'm glad it went well, Eichen will be ready for you, park around the back, near their transport vehicles. There is room for both patients; tell Peter his debt is paid._

She read the text out loud for him, happy that he was even with Deaton for her special box. Although she realized she didn't feel that much different when it came to her debt being paid…. Maybe because Peter had saved her? Kira wasn't really worried about it at all, only her mom was anyways. She and Peter could sort things out later in that respect but as far as her mom knew, the debt was paid.

"Around the back is pretty smart, no one will see them taking two unconscious people from my car," Peter commented, glad that the director had some sense. Clearly he'd been doing this awhile but it was good to know he had a system set up. When they finally arrived at Eichen House, Peter backed into a spot between two of their large vans, 4 technicians and the director waiting just inside the doors. "Perfect, should be transferred over quickly."

Peter and Kira both got out of the car, the Wolf waving the workers over as he popped the trunk; Kira leaned in the backseat and checked on the woman who was just beginning to stir.

"Wow, talk about great timing," she mumbled to herself, thankful that she hadn't woken up on the way here… that probably would have gotten ugly. Slowly she slid the woman out of the car, pulling on her arms and a technician came over, grabbing her legs so they could set her on the stretcher.

"Wasn't expecting to get the mastermind behind all this but you did the right thing, can't hand him over to the police looking like that. We'll do what we can for him but the curse will probably consume him," the director was saying as Kira came up to stand with Peter. "Once he's fully shifted into a Kanima, it might be easier to pair him with someone here and keep him under control."

"Can he not shift back?" Kira asked.

"Cursed Humans are a bit different from lost shifters. Over time, he will learn how to shift back but it will take time because he'll have to regain his Humanity, where the shifter is only lost when in their other form."

"Oh… well as long as he doesn't hurt anyone anymore."

Peter nodded in agreement. "Well, if you don't need anything else from us, we'll be on our way."

The director waved them off and hurried back inside to check on his two new patients.

"I'm sure your mom is eager to hear how it went and will need to make sure you're okay. Thank goodness you can walk again, if I walked up to the house carrying you, she might've killed me."

"Yea, that would be pretty scary as a parent I'm sure," Kira said with a laugh, imaging just how bad that would look with her limp, paralyzed body being carried into the house. Honestly she would look dead and her mom would probably come flying out of the house screaming. But, when they pulled up to the house, she climbed out of the car on her own and retrieved the katana. "Oh, you're coming in?"

Peter nodded, closing the car door, "I have to make sure you tell the story right, can't have you leaving out my accomplishments."

The Fox rolled her eyes but a smile tugged at her lips, now that her parents knew about her training, he was allowed to come inside. It was nice that they didn't have to go behind her parents' backs about their relationship… well, _part_ of their relationship.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving a light squeeze before leading her up to the door; hopefully the conversation about Claims would go well. Should he warn her? It seemed kind of mean to blindside her with the knowledge that her parents knew about the sex… He decided that after the day she had, she didn't need any other surprises. "Hey, Kira, before we go in…"

She paused, key in the lock. "What?" she asked, suddenly concerned.

"Don't freak out, I just need to tell you something," he whispered, leaning in close to her ear. "Your parents know about us, like, all of it."

Kira backed away from the door, eyes wide as she comprehended his meaning. "Oh no, I'm not about to have the sex talk with you _and_ my parents. Just kill me now. It was bad enough the first time, when I asked Mom for birth control pills…"

Peter hurried to catch her as she continued to backpedal, arms wrapping around her waist. "They aren't mad… well maybe a little mad but I promise, this isn't going to be about safe sex and it isn't going to be about me being banned from seeing you either," he hurried to reassure her. "Calm down, it's okay. I just didn't want you to freak out inside the house when your mom brought it up out of the blue."

"Then why do we even need to have a talk?" Kira asked, burying her face in Peter's chest.

"Okay I lied, there might be some sex talk but it isn't the kind of conversation most teenagers get- this is a supernatural thing. Sex is different for us some times and your mom just wants to explain that to you and she asked me to help."

"How did she even find out?"

"That will be discussed inside, I promise. The sooner we go in, the sooner this all gets explained, okay?" Peter said, kissing the top of her head. He took the keys from her hand and walked them back to the front door, unlocking it himself and nudging the Kitsune inside.

Kira looked back up at him, "You promise she isn't going to tell us we can't be together?"

"I promise." Peter grinned, it wasn't like Noshiko could force them a part anyways, not now that Kira had marked him. In a way, her inexperience with the supernatural was good, because if she had held off on Claiming him and her parents had still found out about the sex… they'd be a lot less understanding about it. It would've been so much easier to say that Peter had tricked her or something, but a Claim was proof that Kira had strong feelings for him. Now there was just the issue of Claiming her back. The Wolf stamped down the thoughts that surfaced- it wouldn't do to be in a state of arousal while trying to prove to Noshiko he was a good match for her daughter. He reminded himself that, even if this turned out to be awkward, it needed to happen before their relationship could move forward.

The pair walked into the living room, where Ken and Noshiko were already sitting, waiting. Kira pulled Peter to the couch, holding his hand tightly- if they knew about the sex then she was going to openly be leaning on him for support. "So, do you want to hear how it went or are we having the awkward conversation first?" she muttered, looking at the coffee table instead of her parents.

"I may have warned her about the fact that you know we had sex," Peter smiled. His thumb was rubbing the back of Kira's hand, letting her know that they'd make it through this.

"Please, I would like to know how that fight went, I was worried when I hadn't heard back from you. But I also knew better than to call since any distractions during a fight can be deadly. Then we can discuss the other matter," Noshiko answered. It didn't surprise her at all that Peter mentioned it to her, although she was surprised he had waited until they were right outside the house. Still, it was better than Kira finding out because she brought up the topic out of the blue. She focused as her daughter cleared her throat, apparently starting from events at school.

* * *

A/N: I had to make a compromise with Kira's bamf moments, she reacted quickly in dealing with Liam and at the end of the fight with the Kanima, she was the one that saved the day, but I also had to keep it real, that Kira has had very little fighting experience, so she didn't get away from the second fight without some damage XD She is definitely getting stronger, but she still has to learn how to use her abilities in an active fight and I figured this would be a good lesson for her. Plus, Peter's instinct to protect her went into overdrive.

Going off of what I said about the Were "venom" one of my headcanons is that Kate came back as a Jaguar is because she's stubborn and refuses to die and cats are said to have nine lives. The venom would have responded to her drive of "I don't want to die, not here, not like this" and that was how she came back. Obviously I couldn't add that little detail since, in this fic, Kate is just dead. Hope it makes sense, if not, like all the other lore, feel free to ignore it since it doesn't have any long term bearing on this fic XD I just HATE leaving big gaps of logic... I may mention the Peter+Kanima thing in the future but it would just be a short tale, the actual lore that I explained in this chapter can just be forgotten if it doesn't sit well with you.


	9. All About Claiming

A/N: Kira tells her parents about the fight with the Kanima, and then they tell her more about Claiming. It's not as awkward as she thought it was going to be XD Then Peter and Derek bond a bit =D

* * *

"I might as well tell you what happened at school then," Kira said, figuring that once she got started, she wouldn't feel as nervous. She told them about how she kind of slacked off in school because she had to keep an ear out for Liam but that she was totally planning on getting the notes from the others. Then she told them about how everything finally boiled over and Liam cracked… "I wasn't the only one that heard, Scott and Malia were there to keep him contained, and for some reason Stiles and Allison were too. But… Liam got loose and just ran at Stiles- I stopped him though."

"Stopped him how exactly?" her dad asked.

"My lightning, I used just enough power to lock up his muscles, I didn't hurt him… I don't think…"

"I'm sure Liam was fine. You told me that he wasn't forced back into his Human shift, he only shifted back when he pushed down the anger. That means you didn't exceed our electrocution limit," Peter commented.

Kira nodded, "Yea, that's right, he couldn't attack or anything but he shifted back on his own, not because of the electricity. So I must have kept the voltage pretty low, I don't know the exact science but I know if I focus, then my powers will do what I want. And I didn't want to hurt him, despite his wanting to hurt Stiles. So anyways, Liam managed to rein in his anger and he shifted back on his own…. Well I mean, the fact that I was kinda electrocuting him probably had something to do with it…"

"How did he react after you let him go?" Noshiko asked, curious about the new Beta.

"Actually he um, he was pretty calm. I'm pretty sure more of his anger was focused at Scott and the others because he let me take him to Ms. Morrell and we talked about how he isn't really a monster, and how he just needs to find the right method. I'm kinda surprised Liam listened to me since I am a part of the Pack, he knows that, but I wasn't in his face like Scott was. And I think it worked… I'm not sure though, I didn't get to see him after school- I met up with Peter as soon as I got out of class. Then we went to Brady Springs." No one had messaged her either, so if something had gone wrong during practice, they hadn't thought to tell her…

"Ah yes, the key part of this story."

"Right, sorry, I was just, um, kinda proud of how I handled things at school and-"

Noshiko smiled at her daughter, "I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't interested in what happened at school, just that I want to hear how the fight against the Kanima went. They are very dangerous creatures, in all my years I don't think I've seen one in person so I am very curious about this fight. But yes, you did an excellent job with Liam, you managed to create a scenario where he calmed down on his own while stopping him from hurting anyone, something that Scott and Derek haven't managed. I wish I could have seen it."

"Well the fight against the Kanima was a good one too," Peter commented. It was a quick fight but Kira had played a very important role, he was certain that her parents would be proud. Not only had she saved Stiles and gotten through to Liam during one of his rage shifts, but she helped him take down a brainwashed lizard lady.

"Oh, right, so um, we got to Brady Springs and Peter drove us to where the murders were taking place the Kanima was really easy to find, I mean they were staying right in the area. Oh, I almost, kinda mastered my next Tail by the way, that's really a key part of the story." Kira went on to explain how she'd summoned a few orbs and then they went into the house. She told them how it seemed really easy at first and then how the half cursed master had blindsided them and Kira was left to face the Kanima alone. "I… I ended up getting scratched… I was stupid…"

Peter huffed, wanting to make sure her parents understood. "It was my fault… I know that Kira isn't an experienced fighter and I let my tussle with the guy distract her. But don't be too hard on her, even though she was outmatched in skill, she held her own. That Kanima was going for a finishing blow, which Kira managed to block, completely on instinct- whatever weapons training you're doing with her, it's working. It's true that she ended up with a small scratch, but what she doesn't realize is that if she hadn't managed to block that attack… she'd probably be dead." He gently nudged Kira, making sure she looked up at him, "Don't focus so much on the failures. Obviously you want to learn from your mistakes but you also have to realize how much you did right. If you hadn't kept your sheath on you as a secondary weapon, those claws would have cut a lot deeper than just your wrist. I wouldn't have brought you along if I thought you'd be a hindrance; I brought you because I knew I could depend on you to survive."

"I… I know I just… I was worried that you had gotten hurt when realistically I know you can handle yourself in a fight, it was a stupid mistake. You're right though, that Kanima was hell bent on killing me but I managed to survive. I just have to trust in my skills, the skills that you and Mom are teaching me." Kira squeezed his hand, thankful for his kind words. But she knew they weren't empty words either, Peter meant everything he said. That was one of the few things she knew about him, he didn't mince words, so when he said something, he meant it.

"And what happened next?" her father asked.

"Peter managed to subdue the master and then he kicked the Kanima's ass."

"Don't downplay your help. I managed to wound to Kanima before she could land another blow on Kira, I knocked her into the kitchen, and then I returned to make sure that Kira wasn't seriously injured. During that time, the Kanima recovered and was preparing for her next attack but Kira's preplanning saved us."

"The orbs? They worked?" Noshiko asked, knowing instantly what Peter was referring to.

Kira laughed, "Yea, I was just as surprised. I mean, I'm still a long ways from summoning hornets, but at least I understand how to give them instructions. Honestly I thought they had just faded away, they waited so long to do anything but in the end, they came through."

"Well that's probably because that was the only time neither of you were fighting the Kanima," Ken commented. "From what I understand of FoxFire, its primary focus is to always act as a line of defense. Since you didn't have much experience in ordering your lightning around, the orbs didn't have the drive to pro-actively carry out your instructions. Instead they were programmed to be defensive, only kicking in when you were at risk. You did say that your main instruction was to disable. They can't very well disable while the Kanima is actively moving around and involved in a fight. Well, they could, if you had more experience, but you know what I mean."

"Yea, since it was my first time really trying, they were very limited in their power. And I don't have the experience to code them to take someone out in a complex situation like a fight. But like Peter said, it worked and it gave him the opening he needed to tie them up."

"Kira actually has amazing control over her lightning, I think it stems from her desire to not harm anyone. Lightning is seen as a pretty destructive force and I think at least a part of Kira acknowledges that. She was so focused on disabling the Kanima and not bringing harm that I was able to walk over and tie her up without any of the current flowing into me."

Both of Kira's parents looked at her with surprise, but Peter noticed the pride in Noshiko's eyes. He wasn't surprised by it at all, the older Kitsune was constantly worried that Kira would lose her way, that she might start down the path of a Nogitsune, so of course Kira was very careful about her powers. But still, to hear that Kira had such control over her element was great news to her parents. It meant that her heart was pure and that she only wanted to use her powers to help. There was a fine line to walk as a Kitsune- the Fox spirit was, by nature, a trickster and they needed mischief to thrive. But since they shared a body with a Human, the two beings had to reach an understanding or else one of the two would be dominating the other. If the Fox was allowed to cause too much mischief, a Kitsune could easily turn into a Nogitsune, but if the Human tried to subdue it too much, the Fox would feel disrespected and her powers would begin to waver as the Fox closed herself off from Kira. Peter was confident in his little Kitsune though, and he'd stay by her side as she started to learn more about her trickster Tails, help her maintain the balance. As long as Kira held onto her compassion she couldn't be swayed by the power that comes from deceiving others and she would know how to keep the spirit within her happy. Besides, the spirit seemed to meld with Kira very well, they understood each other, it wasn't likely that the spirit was that keen on pranks anyways. Noshiko said that the spirit was one of the older ones, not a young spirit, so they should be more mature and understanding. Peter was confident that his Wolf would be plenty of mischief for the Fox anyways; that was probably why she'd picked him instead of Derek, the notorious stick in the mud. He had to rein in his thoughts as his mind began imagining all the scenarios they could get into.

Kira cleared her throat, noticing Peter's scent change; she knew immediately what it was because her own body started to respond. Not the time! Hopefully he could stamp that down before her mom noticed. She hurried up and finished the story, wanting to keep the attention on her. "So anyways, we um, got them loaded into the car and took them to Eichen. The director there seemed to know a lot about them so I'm sure he'll be able to help cure them."

"Good, I'm glad things went well. Of course I am disappointed that you didn't get away unscathed but, considering your opponent, I'm glad you came home alive."

"She wasn't even paralyzed that long," Peter started to say before Kira sat forward suddenly.

"Wait, if you were so concerned that I wasn't ready, why did you let me go?"

Noshiko offered the slightest of shrugs, "You seemed so sure of yourself, besides Peter vouched for your abilities. And, if I'm to be honest with you, I wanted to see how your Fox would handle it."

"What does that mean? I… I thought… isn't the Fox a part of me? Were you willing to risk my life because somehow… the Fox did something to upset you?" This has to be about the sex… but did her mom really think the Fox brainwashed her into having sex with Peter? She, she had wanted it, hadn't she? The Fox had nothing to do with this… and her mom wanted to punish her over sex, by sending her to fight a Kanima? That seemed way too drastic.

"I wasn't willing to risk your life no, but, your inner spirit seems more than capable of making adult decisions, so who am I to hold her back? You wanted to learn more about your powers, you're learning… You want to Claim someone then you better know how to stand on your own two feet," Noshiko stated. "If you're going to make adult decisions, you need to be able to protect yourself in adult situations."

"And that's why I'm here," Peter sighed. If he didn't know any better, it was almost as if Noshiko was jealous. This wasn't a gentle way to break it to her…. Especially since Kira had no knowledge of what the Fox had really done. Noshiko was just upset that Kira was growing up faster than she realized, and was learning about all of this without her, plus it sounded like she was mad at Kira right now which he knew wasn't the case.

"I… I don't understand…. What exactly did I do to piss you off? _I_ had sex with Peter, me, Kira! Not the Fox… right?" she asked, turning to look at Peter. He had been so adamant that he wanted the sex to be her choice, no string attached… so her Fox hadn't tricked her into this somehow, right? With her mom making such a big issue about it, she wasn't sure anymore.

"This will all make sense, your mother just… got ahead of herself a bit," Peter commented.

"He's right, I apologize for the way I said that it's just…." Noshiko cleared her throat, glancing at her husband. "It's just that… a part of you is so young yet, the other part of you is powerful and very old. My previous comment was aimed more at your Fox spirit than at you. The power might have gone to her head and she did something a bit prematurely."

Peter cleared his throat, "Kira, what you need to always keep in mind is that, while the Fox is a part of you, she is also separate from you. The two of you, coming together, is what makes you a Kitsune, she was born with you, not created from you, like my Wolf. Because of that, there are some decisions that she'll make without your conscious awareness versus my more animalistic side clouding my judgment and encouraging me to do something."

"So… some times, my Fox, the older spirit… is going to do something that pisses my mom off?" Kira asked, trying to wrap her head around this. "And then I'm the one that has to deal with the punishment because it's my body? That's not even fair!"

"Yes. That is what this conversation is about, this isn't about how you, Kira, a sixteen year old girl had sex with an older man. It's about how the Fox spirit inside you Claimed Peter," Noshiko stated.

"What does that mean? When did that happen exactly?" Kira whined, getting worried now that she somehow lost control, had blacked out or something.

"Hey, hey, this isn't anything bad… okay well, if you were to ask Derek this is a nightmare but, he has a biased opinion." Peter pulled Kira into a hug, hoping to ease her nerves. "This is a very complicated topic but also a very easy one to understand. But the easiest place to start is for you to ask questions."

"What the hell is Claiming and when did I do that to you? And also, how come the sex doesn't matter?"

"Oh, the sex matters, believe me, we're still very mad about that," Ken said, eyeing Peter. "But you also have to realize that in a way, it was beyond your control, which is why we can't ground you for what happened."

"No, no, Mom always said there was supposed to be a balance! If my Fox is… is… making me do things I don't want to do…." Kira swallowed, afraid that something had gone wrong in her training. Why would her Fox take over like this? Had she done something to upset her inner spirit and now she was fighting back?

Peter fully pulled Kira into his lap, not giving a shit about her parents at the moment; he ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her temple. "It isn't like that. I know it sounds bad at first, but it isn't like that. There is nothing to be scared of, or bitter about, it is just how things work for us. All you need to know is that my feelings for you are genuine and that your Fox just has very little patience."

"O-Okay… impatient how?" Kira asked, focusing on Peter. If she thought about the fact that she was in Peter's lap while her parents were just a few feet away, she'd lose it. Her mind was already racing and Peter's presence was calming, so she was going to think about that.

"I'll start with your original question," Peter told her, thankful that neither of her parents commented on their position. They recognized that she was on the edge of freaked out and they dared not tip the scale. They'd leave that to Peter…. So the Wolf knew he had to choose his words carefully. "Claiming is something only supernatural creatures can do, and it's never taken lightly; that doesn't mean it is bad to Claim someone, it just means you have strong feelings for someone."

"So my feelings for you… are they mine or the Fox's?"

"Both. It isn't like we were destined by fate to be together, it's nothing so archaic. I mean, you did have a sort of crush on Scott right?" Peter asked, fighting the distaste in his mouth. Sure, she was allowed to have crushes on other guys at some point but… the boy wonder? Ew… As long as that's behind her now, he wouldn't hold it against her.

"So embarrassing… but for the sake of this conversation… I had entertained the idea of maybe dating Scott," Kira mumbled. "That didn't really last long though…"

"But, the point stands, you and the Fox work together. The Fox saw something in me that she liked and gave you subtle nudges in my direction. If our Human halves turned out to be incompatible, then nothing would have happened. The Fox didn't brainwash you into liking me or anything like that, they just noticed that I'd be a great potential partner due to my skills."

"So… The Fox decided that you might make a good partner because of your experience as a Wolf and then waited on me to decide if I liked the Human part of you? I… I can get that, just as long as a part of it was my decision. But what's the big deal about Claiming, what does that part mean?"

Peter grabbed her hand and held it up to the indents on his neck, "You marked me as yours, when you bit me you poured some of your essence into me. Now normally, Wolves don't scar, so anyone that knows I'm a Wolf would realize the significance of this mark. Those that don't know about Claiming, they would just have to get close to me- this mark smells of you."

"R-really? I… I marked you with my essence? And now anyone that knows about the supernatural will recognize that we're together? I didn't even know I could do that…"

"Yea, that was the surprising thing… Apparently your Fox was impatient and decided to mark me- normally that is something that takes time because you and the Fox need to be on the same page. She apparently didn't want to wait until you were more… aware of our practices. In that manner, she did take control, but only because she knew you accepted me as well. If I had known that the Fox was so, well, eager, I would have explained everything to you sooner."

"I hope you understand why I'm a little… upset with your Fox," Noshiko said, arms crossed. "She acted impulsively and now you're tied to Peter at 16…"

"Hey, I thought you approved of her choice," Peter commented with a smirk, nosing at Kira's ear.

"Don't be facetious, Wolf," she warned. "Just because I approve of her choice doesn't mean that she couldn't have waited a few more years. Maybe even get to know you better. There is still a lot you two don't know about each other…"

Kira couldn't believe her ears, her mom was only mad because she was so young? She wasn't being grounded for having sex? And wait, Mom approved of Peter, what did that mean? "Is, um, is that all?" Kira asked.

"You have Claimed him Kira, it is out of my hands; just because I'm not grounding you doesn't mean that I approve of you deciding to sleep with an older man at such a young age. Although, I do also realize, more than anyone else here, how little age matters when it comes to relationships, and I also Claimed someone before I understood the consequences so I understand how confusing this can all be. The situation is complicated, but simple, like he said. Your feelings for him are strong, that was why you felt compelled to mark him, it is only made complicated by your age."

The young Kitsune slowly nodded, absorbing the information… So, she was right! Her Fox did like Peter more than Scott! That had to be why her infatuation with him waned after awhile, her Fox just didn't think he had any appeal. Of course she hadn't really understood it at the time but now it made sense, if her Fox didn't like him, subconsciously the Human part of her would have picked up on that. Which also explained her fascination with Peter, it was her Fox telling her to get to know him. And get to know him she had! Kira flushed as the memories surfaced of his lips on her skin. So what if she was only 16?! If her Fox thought Peter was a good match, and Kira was head over heels for him as well, why waste any time? A smile broke out on her face finally, "So no one can say anything about us? Even if Scott were to find out, he couldn't say anything?"

"Well, according to the law…" Ken reminded, more than a bit uncomfortable seeing his daughter on Peter's lap. But he understood, after being with Noshiko for so long, as well as having a Claim bite of his own… it was just strange to see.

"It's not like I'm going to be… kissing him in public… I just meant like Scott, as an Alpha, can't say anything to us about it, right?"

"He can't order you around anyways Kira, you're a Kitsune. You are only Pack because you choose to align yourself with him but he cannot influence you using his Alpha powers. But no, he won't be able to ban you from being together."

"He might still try though, considering he doesn't know anything about Claiming," Peter mused aloud. That would be fun, Scott thinking he could keep Peter away from his Mate- the Alpha would learn a very hard lesson.

"Just as long as I don't have to worry about him trying to assert himself or anything, we're good. Not that I want to tell him right away or anything, just good to know for future reference. So um… is there anything else to talk about? As enlightening as this conversation has been… I'd like it to be over now."

"We just wanted you to understand what Claiming was and what it means now that you've chosen someone-" Noshiko started.

"Wait, does that mean that um…" Kira paused, looking up at Peter. "Does that mean you're going to Claim me back?"

"I would very much like to yes, I just didn't want to take our relationship to the next level without you understanding what the next level was. I wouldn't dream of Claiming you without your knowledge, that's just inappropriate."

Kira frowned and looked down at her hands, "But I Claimed you without your knowledge…"

"Eh, I know what Claiming is and I recognized what you did the moment it happened. Like I told you though, I was expecting this relationship to be long term and this was the logical next step. I could have rejected the Claim if I didn't want it. So it might have been a surprise but that wasn't exactly what I meant when I said without your knowledge. If I bit you, marked you, like that you would just think I was being a little rough, you'd have no idea that I was tying my essence to yours. Your mother would have known instantly of course, upon seeing the mark, but you would have been completely ignorant. But now that you know how this works, we can discuss it more later. I should probably go, if I'm no longer needed?"

Noshiko and Ken both shook their heads, they covered the important information and it was getting late. Kira and Peter got up and wandered back to the front door, pausing before opening it.

"So, you mean it, you'll Claim me back?"

"If I'm being totally honest with you, I had a hard enough time restraining myself when I was inside you. I just knew it wouldn't be proper if I did so I held back- I want everyone to know you're mine," he whispered in her ear. His teeth grazed over her earlobe for a moment before he pulled himself together, straightening up again.

Suddenly Kira flashed back to when they were working on her third Tail… how Peter had said that he wouldn't mind Claiming her. She had thought he meant it in a sexual manner and hadn't thought anything of it at the time but now… now that she knew better. Wow, Peter had wanted to Claim her back then? The thought of that excited her, knowing that his feelings were just as strong , that she wasn't the only one swept away by this."I can't wait then," Kira breathed, knees shaking in anticipation.

"Text me when you're free to train again. Maybe this time you can come to my apartment, where we won't be interrupted."

"Yea, sounds like a plan." She stood there, leaning on the doorframe as he walked back to his car. God she wanted to go with him but that would be pushing her mom's limits.

"Now that we've covered Claiming, I'd like to see you in the basement please," Noshiko said.

"Oh, right, sure." Was this going to be the embarrassing part where she got yelled out for having sex with someone she 'hardly' knew? Might as well get it over with, so she grabbed her katana and followed her mom down the steps.

"I'd like to hear about the fight in more detail, I want to see exactly what you did," her mom stated.

Kira tilted her head, "Oh, yea, I can do that." She spend the next hour going over the fight with her mom, swinging her sword and using her mom as the pretend Kanima as a visual aid. When her mom was finally satisfied with how the fight had gone, she dismissed Kira to wash up before dinner.

She took a few steps before turning back around, needing to clear the air. "Mom, is Peter really a good choice? I mean, I'm not regretting anything- I do like him, I'm just really surprised at you and Dad…"

"I know you aren't regretting your choice, if you had any doubts about him, you wouldn't have marked him. Are you asking me what I see in him for you, or are you asking because you don't quite understand it yourself?"

"Both I guess… I mean, I know why I like Peter but I kinda can't put words to it? So I think hearing someone else say it would help. It's not like I can ask the girls, they wouldn't understand at all. Plus you're my mom, I value your opinion."

Noshiko pulled her daughter down onto one of the steps, "Well first and foremost, he's experienced in our world. He isn't someone that would hold you back because he doesn't understand, nor is he someone you'd have to keep all this a secret from. Peter is also very driven, he's always striving to better himself, and I can tell just by looking at him, he takes pride in his abilities. He has this aura about him, he isn't fit just because he's a Were, like Scott- he's fit because he is always pushing his body to the edge. Once you've been around a lot of supernatural creatures, you learn to see the difference, and he's a Were that works hard to hone his skills. All that skill and knowledge marks him as a great protector for you.

"On top of that, he is fiercely loyal, who else would stick around for a Pack that has done nothing but shun him? Given their troubled past, it would be so much easier for him to move on and start fresh somewhere else. But instead he stayed here and decided to help Scott and the others; maybe it is mostly because Derek has stuck around, but that just means his ties to family are strong. But I think what speaks to me the most about him is his conviction to do whatever is necessary to defend his honor. He spent years healing his body, from an attack that should have killed him, and planned revenge. Sure, he killed people and generally that is frowned upon, but Kitsunes aren't like other people."

"Yea… you called down a Nogitsune because of the way you and the others were treated at the camps. Like you were totally prepared to wipe everyone in the area out…"

Noshiko nodded, "Yes, I was prepared to rain down hell in order to avenge my friends and family. Peter has proven that he would do the same. To me, that tells me that he'd fight tooth and nail to protect you."

"But what about Scott, I mean, everyone is talking about how he's a True Alpha and that's supposed to be a big deal… And he's closer to my age…"

"A True Alpha is rare, and that speaks for Scott's character, but that isn't enough to gain your favor, or the Fox's. He has no skills as a leader, no real skills as a Wolf; Kitsunes are drawn to power and Scott is lacking that. Scott is only a teenager, he just doesn't have the experience that your Fox craves, nor the ambition- Scott just isn't as impressive. He doesn't have Peter's history, he's just a pup in the world's eyes. The Fox has traveled this world, has a deep understanding of the workings of this world. Peter's Wolf is steeped in old knowledge whereas Scott only has knowledge from the last year of his life. His family background adds more appeal, more understanding, because his Wolf is highly tuned to our world, just like your Fox."

"So Peter and Derek have like… a much longer genetic memory, and that makes them more suitable than Scott. So how come I didn't try to get to know Derek, like I don't think I ever had a crush on him…"

Noshiko shrugged, "The Fox probably keyed in on both but subconsciously you must have thought one was more attractive. You then focused on Peter more since he was more physically attractive to you. I'm sure your Human side probably picked up on Scott's physical features as well as his sweet nature but your Fox wanted more than just a sweet boy."

"Yea, no kidding," Kira mumbled to herself, feeling a flush come to her cheeks. Okay this was making more sense, obviously she knew that she was infatuated with Peter, he was good looking, he had a sweet side, and he was strong. The way he made her feel… at first she was afraid that maybe it was just a physical attraction but to hear her mom tell her about all the finer points of Peter's potential as her partner, she knew she'd scored. "Thanks Mom, like, you really cleared things up. And you can't be too mad at my Fox… I may not have known about Claiming but, if I'm honest… He just made me feel so wanted and special, she probably just picked up on my desire to be loved, especially considering my new status as not Human. When I learned all about this Kitsune stuff I was just so confused and everything- I felt abnormal and out of place…. Then of course there was Scott, a cute boy that knew all about the supernatural and everything and I wanted him to protect me. I think I was working so hard to impress him and then I felt like I was making a fool of myself and he was so preoccupied with everything else that he didn't notice me. So when Peter showed interest in me where Scott didn't, I fell hard. I guess I just wanted to make sure this wasn't about my teenage hormones tricking me into something."

"No, there is a lot more going on with us finding a partner than just hormones. Sure, the Human part of you is hormonal and the attraction is heavily physical, but that doesn't undermine the emotional connection you're building with him at all. What matters is that his Wolf and your Fox both recognize that this will work long term and are ready to take it to the next level, even if your Human halves are still catching up. Peter will protect you, he's teaching you well, and he'll help you accomplish so much, don't be afraid to just follow your instincts with this."

"So, it really isn't bad that I Claimed him, even though I'm only 16?"

Noshiko shook her head, "No, you will live a long life, you will find many Mates in your life but you can only learn your Tails once. Cherish Peter, you probably won't find another person, other than a Kitsune, that understands us so well. People like that are rare, I've only known a few in my lifetime, so you hold on to them when you find them, regardless of age. Honestly, I'm proud in a way as well, because you found a good partner at a young age, so I know that you have someone that will help you grow into a strong woman."

"Yea, Scott… he's my age, which means he doesn't really have things figured out either so we'd be stumbling through all of this and it would be a mess. At least with Peter, he has additional Human experience that will help me figure everything out. Also, he told me that Scott never trains with the Pack so they are getting stagnant. Of course they will always be strong, because they are Weres, but they will grow rusty all the same. He obviously doesn't understand a lot about how this supernatural stuff works. Peter refuses to be like that and he won't let me fall into that dangerous cycle; instead, he'll help me figure everything out, like my Tails."

"Exactly, he'll push you forward, strive to make you better instead of dragging you down. Scott is a nice boy, and he's done a lot with himself since he became an Alpha but he'd only weigh you down. His lack of knowledge is dangerous- if he tried to teach you…"

"Yea, I remember you getting upset because you thought it was Scott I was learning from and that he'd upset my balance. He'd train me like how he learned to work with his Wolf, not knowing the difference. But that was one of the first things Peter explained to me, about how his Wolf was created from him but I was born with my Fox as a… companion of sorts," Kira recalled.

Noshiko smiled, "Yea, I had been concerned. But like I said, I do recognize that Peter is a good choice, for many reasons; the only thing I'm disappointed in is that you went behind my back about all of it. But… you are a teenager, of course you aren't going to come to me about dating an older man right away. It's all out in the open now, we'll worry about anything else as it comes up. Come on, it's dinner time…. Just don't get carried away with this relationship, I still expect you to get through high school and college so no kids before getting married."

"Mom!" Wow how embarrassing! Of course they wouldn't be diving into the family life so soon, Kira knew that Peter didn't want to settle down just yet. The Pack needed a lot of work and of course he'd want her to finish school as well. She still hugged her mom before they went upstairs for dinner.

*Derek's Loft*

Peter was about halfway to his apartment when his phone dinged, with a sigh he looked at the message.

 _Hey, you back from your errand? Come to the loft- D_

He shot back a quick reply and pulled a u-turn, heading towards the loft. Maybe something was going on with Liam and Derek needed some more help… Besides, it wasn't like he had anything planned for the rest of the night, he could spend time with his nephew. Minutes later when he arrived and slid the door open, he found Derek pacing around the couch. "What's up?"

"Liam freaked out during practice, one of the older guys made a comment and it just… set him off. His I.E.D. is making this really hard," Derek explained, not even pausing in his pacing.

"Alright, did he hurt anyone, or did anyone see him?"

"No, thank goodness. Coach knows about his anger issue and saw that he was getting all worked up and ordered him to take laps. He took off into the woods, Isaac followed. Liam took out his frustration out on a tree…"

Peter nodded his head, that was better than a person. "So what is the Alpha going to do about his troubled Beta?"

"He wants me to come to the school tomorrow, try to talk with him about his anger…"

"Wait, you're planning on giving him the anger as an anchor speech? Do not."

Derek scowled, "But it's the one you gave me!"

"Yea and you didn't have I.E.D.! You had the regular anger of a Wolf and a messed up teen. It worked for you because you were born with the Wolf, you had least had balance before Paige… Liam has absolutely no experience in this! Telling him to center himself around his anger is only going to create a monster Derek. You can't even imagine what he'd turn into..." Peter clenched his jaw, remembering what it felt like to shift after he'd killed his own niece. The rage had turned him into something monstrous... It had affected his transformation, and instead of turning into a wolf, he became something out of nightmares. Peter hadn't fully shifted since, telling himself that it was because he was still too weak from his resurrection. But it was because he was afraid that he had been forever marked by his uncontrollable rage. And as far as the Pack knew, he hadn't inherited the full shift like Talia had, it was better that way.

"Then what else are we supposed to do?"

"I already told you, find a way to get through to him. He's stuck on the fact that he thinks he's a monster and you've yet to show him otherwise. Did Scott tell you about what happened today? I mean during class, not practice."

"Something else happened?" Derek asked, voice heavy.

"Yea, he almost attacked Stiles. Kira saved his ass. And Kira is the one that got through to Liam, not Scott, not Malia, and Allison was only making it worse." Peter went on to tell his nephew just how well Scott had handled the Beta.

Derek sighed, "He's just new to this… that was how we helped Isaac calm down one time, the cold shocked him into focusing on something besides the anger. Having Stiles there was probably a mistake. And Allison… I can't believe she said that…"

"To be fair, I don't think she meant it maliciously… just that she wanted Liam to understand that he needs to learn control. Of course, she has no practical experience in trying to calm down an angry Wolf and therefore had no idea her statement was probably one of the worst things she could have said to him. Dealing with Scott hardly counts as experience, he would never harm her in a million years. Then with Isaac, she was fighting with him at the time so it wasn't like she was trying to calm him down at all, she was hell bent on hurting him."

"And how is it you know what happened in the locker room?"

"Kira told me all about it during our excursion."

Derek scowled and looked away from his uncle, "I'd rather not hear about your wild sex stories with a teenage girl."

"Oh please, I said excursion- we had an errand to run, we didn't fuck in my apartment. I know you may not believe it but I am taking her training seriously, why don't you take a look for yourself the next time you see her," Peter told him.

Derek finally stopped pacing, turning to really look at his uncle. "Did you tell her yet?"

"Yes, that was where I was coming from, her parents and I discussed everything with her. It went well, although I'm sure you don't care."

"So, you're really involved with her, this is a serious relationship?"

"100 percent. I do plan on returning her Claim, now that she knows the truth. I'm not just stringing her along or anything- I completely reciprocate her feelings."

"Alright… just please be careful, this can end really badly…" Derek sighed. It was so weird to think of his uncle as in a relationship- with anyone. He had been a bit of a player back when they were young and none of his relationships were ever serious. It just didn't seem to be Peter's thing… Maybe it just hadn't been important to him back then, maybe Kira was just that special to him. Of course he'd be keeping on eye on them, making sure that Peter wasn't scheming in any way, but he wouldn't interfere for now. It wasn't really his place after all… He had other things to worry about after all, like Scott's rampaging Beta… "Okay back to Liam, what should we do? I mean, what can I possibly say to him tomorrow that might help?"

"You just have to get through to him, find a way to show him that he isn't a monster. Find something that will help him quell all that anger. You can use it to your advantage, and Scott can too now, but Liam won't be able to. It's just feeding his Wolf and it will build up into a frenzy. If he ever completely loses control and acts out, there will be no reassuring him that he isn't a monster. Boyd never really understood and he was a Were for a few months…"

"Yea… Cora got it but she knows all about bloodlust. Boyd was pretty messed up over the whole thing-" Derek's voice cracked and he dropped down onto the couch.

"Whoa, hey, Derek… you did your best. Gerard coming into town really took us all by surprise… you did the best you could for those kids-"

"Well it obviously wasn't enough!"

"They ran away," Peter reminded him. "They thought they could find a better home, a better Pack. We didn't even have any idea that the Alphas were coming… they probably got caught off guard whenever Chris finally let them go…"

"But I should have saved them from Allison and Gerard in the first place! I knew it was too dangerous to be out there alone, that Gerard was hell bent on our destruction! Yet I let them go…"

Peter sighed, sitting next to Derek, "You aren't tyrannical, you weren't about to order them to stay. You told them that it was probably a trap but they wanted to take the risk anyways, hell you let them because you wanted to believe they'd make it. They thought running was the safer option- they were just kids… they didn't know any better. And even after we found out that Gerard had them… we had our hands full with Jackson. Chris let them go, and they could have come back but instead they chose to keep running. We can't fault them for that but you can't blame yourself either. You did the best you could given the situation that came up after they were turned. None of us could have guessed what would happen. It all happened because I killed Kate anyways, although I'd still kill her if I had to go back and do it again. The Alphas snuck up on us and we had no way of protecting them."

Derek started to shake, and he closed his eyes, willing the pain to pass. Beside him Peter sighed, softly reaching out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You didn't kill Boyd, they did. They just used your claws to do it. But it isn't on you, it's on them. Same as Erica's death. We can't change the past, we can only learn and do better in the future. So don't let Liam run away from this, help him embrace it. Help him learn about his Wolf and embrace him as Pack so when the next bad thing happens, he won't be a vulnerable pup. Boyd and Erica only had one full moon with you and besides that, you didn't really have any time to bond with them because of Jackson turning into a Kanima. Everything was rushed and they couldn't handle the stress, neither could you- you were never cut out to be an Alpha. But you aren't honoring their memory by beating yourself up over it." There was no malice in his voice, Talia had been grooming Laura to take her place, never Derek, he was too young. So of course he didn't know how to handle three freshly turned teenagers. Maybe they resented Derek for turning them, maybe they didn't, but the best thing for Derek to do was make sure that Liam was more prepared for the harshness of their world than they were. Maybe they'd be watching over Liam, as their spirits lingered with the Pack.

Derek listened to what his uncle said, how they hadn't properly bonded with each other and that influenced their choice to leave. Too much had happened before Derek could get to know them all better and his time spent training them was for their protection... But that didn't make their deaths any less painful. The younger Wolf reached up and covered Peter's hand with his own though, grateful for the comfort. He hadn't been expecting it from his uncle but it felt good to hear someone tell him it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have possibly prepared for what had happened. It helped to ease the lingering pain a little bit, remembering that he hadn't chosen to kill Boyd, they had made him. It still hurt of course, and the fact that he wasn't there to protect Erica but… he needed to come to terms with their deaths. And Peter was right about Liam too, if they didn't train him now, they were only going to let him down in the future. Derek would _not_ let that happen to anyone else! He had made a mistake by turning three kids, by omitting some of the harsher truths of his world until after they'd been turned. But he'd done his best and he still mourned every day, asked them for forgiveness. And now he had a chance to make sure Liam didn't end up like them.

"Let's go for a run," Peter suggested, knowing that that was Derek's way of coping. Usually he just ran as the memories flooded his head, going until his legs gave out under him. This time, Peter would be there to keep an eye on him, help pick him back up after he crumbled into pieces. He hated seeing Derek like this, but this was the first time his nephew had really opened up to him about his old Betas, so maybe that meant he was finally ready to heal. Peter wasn't going to leave him alone in his time of need; he'd be there, because no one else knew Derek was hurting and Peter understood how dangerous it was to mourn alone.

After a moment Derek nodded and stood up; he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside before sliding open the loft door. Maybe it would be good to have someone with him this time, someone that would stop him from hurting himself. As he tore down the stairs, he felt a soothing presence in his head as Peter followed him, the two charging into the parking lot and towards the woods. He had forgotten what that felt like since Laura died. Scott and his Betas didn't know how to utilize the Pack bond, but Peter did, and his Wolf wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

A/N: this is turning into a bit more than just Peter/Kira hahaha We're seeing more with Liam and also with Derek and Peter, hope that's okay! I just totally got into the thought of Peter and Derek rebuilding their relationship after all this time. This is still going to focus on Peter and Kira, her training and her Tails, but we're still going to see some of the other characters as well lol

Obviously I'm giving Peter the ability to fully shift into a wolf because well, I can! Talia could, Laura could, Derek finally learned how, so why not Peter as well? =) But I'm also keeping his transformation Canon with how we saw him in Season 1, I'm just explaining his totally off the wall transformation by having his mental state affect his form. It is similar to my thoughts on how, in season 4, when Scott and the others are in the huge fight with the assassins, Scott's face started to shift. He was becoming something not himself because he was letting all the negative emotions take over. But Peter is much better now, he just doesn't know it yet ^^

Also, not sure if I touched on it in this fic or not... I'm writing so many atm I lose track... XD but I'm a fan of the idea that as Packmates, Werewolves can at least semi-telepathically connect with one another. It isn't a complete awareness, like they don't just magically know when a Packmate is hurt or in danger, but the Wolves can 'mentally' reach out to each other to communicate. This is what Peter is doing for Derek when they go for the run, just melding their Wolves together so Derek knows he isn't alone anymore. Just explaining that if case some of you haven't read my other fics =)


	10. Wrench in the Plans

A/N: I kinda cut this chapter again because I know the next section is going to be long and I know it's been a long time since I've updated so I figured I'd post this part and then get to work on the next part =) Hope you enjoy it, some drama is starting but, it'll all work out in the end =D

I did my best to proofread this but didn't run it by my editor soooo there may be mistakes XD

* * *

*Tuesday*

Peter stretched, eyes closed against the bright afternoon sun that was filtering in through his blinds. It was rare that he stayed in bed this late but he had a very vigorous run with Derek last night. And after that they sparred with each other, both of them agreeing to work out their aggressions but be mindful not to cause too much damage. Derek had needed it too, he could tell with how viciously he'd attacked at first. It was nothing that Peter couldn't handle- Deucalion was a relentless partner, one Derek couldn't hold a candle to. But for the first time in a long time, Peter felt close to his nephew again. After they got back to the loft, they had even talked about the possibility of him talking to Liam. Of course that would depend on Scott but, still, it meant a lot to him that Derek was at least willing to support him. Just then, his phone went off.

"Wow, he must be psychic or something," he mumbled to himself as he looked at the text.

 _I'm heading to the school, Scott says that has a plan and hopefully Liam will listen. I'll let you know how it goes- D_

The Wolf sighed, debating what to do; he really had no faith in Scott, that's what it came down to. If their previous encounter with Liam had gone so bad… He pulled up Kira's name and shot her a quick message.

 _Not sure if you're aware, Scott and Derek are supposed to meet up with Liam soon. I think it would be better for everyone involved if you were also there. Let's hope for the best- PH_

Might as well just go make something to eat while he waited for an update; hopefully, when it did come, it wasn't bad.

*School, lunch*

Kira was at her locker, dragging her feet because she didn't want to go to lunch. Stiles had already bombarded her with questions about her new abilities, which of course made the others curious too. On top of that, Malia was still a bit peeved, the Coyote only offering a stilted wave this morning. She'd probably have to apologize or something later; Stiles was working really hard on helping her understand Pack and Kira's threat yesterday probably really confused her. But, the Fox reasoned, at least that meant that Malia considered her Pack! Just as she was getting ready to head to the cafeteria, her phone went off. Her brows furrowed together as she read the message from Peter- why wasn't Scott giving Liam some space? After the debacle from yesterday she'd hoped that he had learned. Quickly Kira peeked into the cafeteria, sighing in relief when she saw everyone else sitting down at their usual table. So it would only be Scott and Derek hopefully; they were still Liam's least favorite people right now though… Kira hurried through the halls, letting her ears guide her; as she turned down a familiar hallway she rolled her eyes. They were in the locker room again, that seemed to be one of Scott's favorite meeting places…. It was a bit separated from the classrooms though, and the doors were squeaky so it was harder for people to sneak up on them there. Still, it was a bit predictable.

*Locker Room*

"Scott will you please just, give me space?! You really aren't gaining my trust by getting in my face like this," Liam said sternly. Ms. Morrell had told him to be firm, because Scott was pretty thickheaded sometimes. She did assure him that the Alpha had good intentions, telling him more about what it meant to be a True Alpha- like Liam was supposed to understand how that made Scott different. They were all still Weres now… monsters…. He'd only agreed to come here because he knew if he didn't, Scott might corner him somewhere else and it would put others at risk. When he heard one of the doors creak open, he jumped, scared that a student was coming in.

"It's just Derek, I asked him to come too. He's a born Wolf and I think he has a way of helping you understand all this a bit better. Before… that time at my house, we all got off to the wrong start, I tried to explain Pack stuff to you when we should just be concentrating on control right now. Stiles was the one that helped me figure out my Anchor but your circumstances are a lot different," Scott explained.

Liam looked over his shoulder as the older Beta came into view; he couldn't keep the scowl off his face.

"We know this is hard for you, we only want to help right now. If you can't keep yourself under control, people can get hurt- we just want to prevent that. Don't you agree that control is the most important thing right now?" Derek asked, keeping his tone neutral.

"If Scott hadn't lied to me about all of this then I wouldn't need control! I was finally getting better with my I.E.D.… My therapist said that I was improving! And now I'm screwed! My meds aren't even helping anymore- they do nothing! I used to hate taking them because they made me sluggish and dopey and now they just have no effect. You know, my stepdad worked with me a whole hell of a lot, helping me focus my anger into lacrosse so I didn't have to take my pills. But thanks to you, my pills don't work, period, and I can't even play without shifting. You ruined my life Scott!" Liam cut himself off, heaving in breaths as he tried to calm down. He felt himself getting close to the edge, had felt his teeth start to shift. He hadn't wanted this! Scott only said that he'd be 10 times better than before, that he'd be _more_ than before. And that it wasn't a drug, it wasn't illegal, and it would speed up the healing time on his leg. The red eye thing had really freaked him out but Scott just said it was a part of the process and Liam's eyes wouldn't turn red; that had done a lot to calm him actually, since red was associated with anger, he really, really didn't want to get red eyes all of a sudden. Liam knew that part of this was his fault- he should have asked more questions, talked to his stepdad about how bad his leg was and if he'd really be out the whole season. As if the red eyes hadn't been enough of a warning that something wasn't right... But he'd been impulsive and now he was paying the price.

"I didn't mean to trick you, I just took for granted that you'd understand what I was offering. A lot of people have been at least partially aware of the supernatural in school since so much weird stuff has happened here lately…. It just didn't register to me that you'd probably have no idea and then when you didn't ask what I was…. I'm sorry; I know that's my fault for assuming but we can't change that now and-"

Liam snarled before clenching his jaw, speaking through his teeth, "Now I'm supposed to bow down to you, is that it?"

Scott looked to Derek for help, why wasn't Liam understanding? Was it his I.E.D., was it making his Wolf flare up and he was having a hard time listening rationally? Scott just wanted to help and Liam kept thinking that he was expecting some sort of slave loyalty out of him. He wasn't Peter! Maybe he had laid it on a little thick at his house on Sunday, telling him about how Pack works but he just wanted Liam to understand that they weren't monsters... Thankfully Derek decided to try something next before he could keep digging himself into a hole.

"Liam, we need you to calm down, okay? Just let us help you find an Anchor."

"My Anchor? If I couldn't even find one of those for my disorder before, how the hell am I supposed to find one now?!" he interrupted.

Scott sighed heavily, no longer sure of what to do. "Well, you can't play lacrosse until you find an Anchor, it's just too risky."

"You can't stop me from playing! You don't get to control me!" Liam shouted, claws digging into the meat of his palms. He lunged for Scott but ended up snarling in pain, his shoulders suddenly on fire as his arms were yanked behind him.

Derek had been ready, it wasn't hard to guess that Liam would lose his cool. The Beta was always on the verge of shifting and Scott seemed to know how to push the wrong buttons. And that had been the original plan- Scott had thought that using his anger as an Anchor might work, like Derek. But Peter's warning had stayed in his head all night and Derek had warned Scott against it. But by that time, Liam had agreed to meet up with them, so they had to tell him something. Lacrosse was apparently the wrong thing to mention though and now he had Liam's arms twisted up behind him to stop him from attacking Scott.

The three of them barely registered the squeak of the door opening, Derek and Scott more focused on the dangerous look in Liam's eyes. The boy knew he could heal now… Derek cursed to himself as he felt Liam shift his weight- he was going to dislocate his own shoulders just to get out of the hold… But then he just stopped, head turning to the side, transfixed by something.

"Let him go," Kira said, rushing towards the group.

"Kira?" Scott mumbled, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping you from permanently scarring him, I think I have an idea… but Derek, you have to let go."

Derek was about to scoff but he realized that Liam had calmed down- not enough to shift back but he wasn't snarling at all anymore. Something about Kira had his attention. So he gently released his grip on the teenager and stepped back, giving him room.

"Liam, I need you to answer a question for me okay? Can you tell me what you are?" Kira asked, stepping in front of him.

"A monster!" Liam mumbled aggressively.

Kira shook her head, "Try again." When Liam growled, disagreeing, the Kitsune reached out, setting her hand on his chest, "No, not a monster, what are you?"

He huffed, obviously not wanting to say it, but he didn't want to fight with her either, "A Werewolf."

"That's right, and now, who are you?"

"…Liam…" The Beta was confused, he had no idea what her point was but… at least the anger was gone. He had originally been caught off guard when he saw her aura and that moment of surprise helped steady him. But he was still having issues shifting back, the adrenaline still coursing through him. So he hoped this weird line of questioning had a point.

"And who were you before you became a Werewolf?"

"Liam…"

"That's right, because you're _still_ Liam, you're still you! You're a Werewolf now and you used to be Human, but you're still Liam no matter what," Kira told him. "When you start to feel lost, just tell yourself that, as many times as it takes."

Slowly he nodded, understanding her logic. He echoed her words in his head, over and over again until he felt the Wolf inside his head recede. Liam closed his eyes, having an easier time with the shifting if he concentrated on being Human. When he opened his eyes again, the aura was gone and he felt a bit of sadness at that. Maybe… maybe the Wolf inside him was good for something, when there were some beautiful things in this world that only they could see.

"Much better," Kira commented, a bright smile on her face.

Liam surprised them all but pulling her into a tight embrace, she may have just helped him find his Anchor. Yea, he still had a lot of work to do but he had somewhere to start now! And it had only taken her a moment to calm him, where the Alpha had done nothing but rile him up.

As the two of them hugged, Peter's word flashed back to Derek's mind, about how Kira was strong and had already learned so much. He blinked, shifting his eyes and almost had to take a step back at the brilliance of her aura. Derek counted three Tails and the sharp, white aura really seemed to suit her, if he was being honest. He'd never actually seen a Kitsune aura in person before, the only one he'd ever seen was Kira's baby Fox aura, the warm orange one, never a fully matured one. It was no wonder Liam had been awed by her entrance, in his shifted state he would have been able to see this as soon as she walked in.

"I um, should probably go eat lunch, I really didn't mean to interfere I just know that last time… it got kind of rough. And my lightning is pretty effective at stopping him from hurting anyone without actually breaking bones and stuff. But um, I'll leave now and let you three finish your conversation…" Kira gently pulled away from Liam, smiling at him again to reassure him that he'd be fine. Then, with a quick wave to the other two, she departed.

Derek watched her leave, eyes still glowing blue; he was stunned at her transformation and even more flabbergasted by the knowledge that it was Peter that helped her grow so much. How had he managed to _not_ corrupt her, turn her down the path of the Nogitsune? That took a lot of knowledge, even Derek realized how easy it was for a Kitsune to lose their way. On top of that, Kira would be the perfect tool for Peter, she'd be able to wipe them all out with very little effort and Peter would have his revenge. But Derek could sense the purity in her aura and he knew that Noshiko would have stopped it long ago if she sensed any darkness in her daughter. The fact that his uncle was teaching her without bringing his personal vendetta into it showed him just how much Peter had changed. Belatedly he blinked and tuned into what Scott and Liam were talking about, smirking to himself as he realized Kira was the topic on their minds too.

"How did she manage to calm you down?" Scott asked, doing his best to keep the twinge of jealousy out of his voice. Was Kira going to be Liam's Anchor… his Allison? The Alpha knew that he couldn't get mad, it wasn't like he and Kira were a thing, it just surprised him. Could he be okay with the fact that Liam might start dating her? God, Scott shook himself- now was no time to be jealous! Liam had serious control issues and if he actually found something that worked for him, Scott would be happy. Maybe they'd date and maybe they'd just be friends…. But Scott knew from experience, significant others made great Anchors; he thought of Stiles and Malia, Lydia and Jackson, himself and Allison. There was no way he'd begrudge Liam the Kitsune's friendship (and possibly more), he was man enough to know better.

"Her aura, it's… amazing, it just demands your attention. It helped me shift my focus from Stiles yesterday too… as well as the whole, shocking me thing." Liam smiled to himself, "I've never seen anything like it- it's beautiful!"

Scott nodded, clapping Liam on the shoulder, not knowing that her aura had evolved since the last time he'd looked at her. "Well, that's a good place to start. Honestly, if you found something that you can concentrate on, that will help you focus and fight the shift, don't be afraid to use it. And don't be afraid to come to us for help, okay? I know I've said it before but, we're Pack now, one day you'll understand what that means."

The Beta nodded his head, looking a little conflicted over everything but he didn't argue for once. He mumbled a quick goodbye and left, hoping to eat something for lunch before the bell rang.

"Well, that wasn't exactly how I thought this would go but, what matters is the goal was achieved. Liam has the beginning of an Anchor and he's at least starting to accept this whole Werewolf thing," Scott declared.

"Scott… I think we should let Peter train him…"

"Excuse me?!" Scott just stared at Derek, that was totally out of left field! Surely he'd heard wrong!

"Seriously, he's the only one that might even have an inkling of what Liam is feeling right now, with all that anger. You're way too young to know how to teach him properly, you've only been a Were for a year! But Peter-"

"Is a psychopath that killed people and then brainwashed Lydia! He's only out to help himself- he's proven that time and time again," Scott argued.

Derek shook his head, "That's because he doesn't even feel like Pack! Scott… Wolves need to bond with each other, otherwise that's how Rogues happen. Ever since his rebirth, he's been helping us despite the fact that we killed him. So no, it isn't really Peter's style to do things out of the goodness of his heart but… he's still Pack and we need to treat him like it."

"And what makes you think that he'd do a good job? How do we know he won't turn Liam into a rampaging monster? Or even turn him against us?"

"Because Peter remembers exactly what it feels like to be that monster and he hates it. That's… that's what you don't understand Scott. He honestly had no control over his hatred- it had consumed him. But I can see it in his eyes, the few times he's talked about it, even he's repulsed by the thing he became. For a born Wolf… it's an absolute disgrace to lose your way. I don't expect you to understand, you're Bitten," Derek trailed off, keeping the 'and a True Alpha' part to himself. Scott was already just a good person and he held everyone else to those standards but he never had his family ripped from him in just a few moments. He's never had to take an innocent life and feel his soul break, feel his eyes grow cold. Derek and Peter knew all too well that the world wasn't black and white, so of course someone like Scott wouldn't understand. But Derek truly believed that Peter wanted to try and make things right; his uncle would never be a fine, moral citizen (by anyone's standards), but he'd do right by the Pack and that was all that truly mattered to a born Were. And Derek would do right by his uncle and actually treat him like a Packmate from now on. If they wanted to stop Peter from repeating his past mistakes, that was how they'd help him reform.

"I won't Liam alone with Peter, that's just too risky."

"Well you can't be there… You don't trust him and that just means you'd question each and every thing he did- nothing would get accomplished. What if I supervised? I know a lot more about Were training, I'll know when Peter is crossing the line," he offered.

Scott stared at him for a moment, "Why do you suddenly want to trust Peter?"

"He's family; he and I have reached an understanding and I think it's time you did too. I understand it won't happen overnight but… we need him Scott. And he needs us too, Wolves don't abandon each other."

"Not even when they are killers?"

Derek flashed his eyes again, "You trust me, even though I'm a killer."

Scott looked away, often forgetting that Derek had the same blue eyes as his uncle... To him, Derek's circumstances were different! "You've proven yourself to be trustworthy- Derek he killed your sister, how can you trust him?"

"Because I actually understand the situation now! Have I forgiven him? No, and I don't know if I ever can but I understand. And it's in the past, Peter has healed now, that's all you need to know. You don't have to like him and you don't have to trust him, just trust _me_ about this. If it helps, think of it in terms of assets- he's the best one you've got and you're on the verge of losing him. All the things I've taught you? That barely scratches the surface of all the things Peter knows about our world. And half of it I learned from him in the first place. Scott, the more we shun him, the more we're pushing him back into the Rogue he used to be. Just think it over and let me know, I can arrange a meeting for them if Liam agrees to it." With that Derek stormed out of the locker room, heart racing. He hadn't been expecting Scott to bring up Laura, he should have known she'd come up but… Her death was still a very raw wound in his chest. It had been the two of them for years, comforting each other and trying to survive after the massacre. Last night, he had finally asked about her death, in the middle of his sparring with Peter in fact.

Peter had said they should work out their frustrations and Derek was frustrated about Laura. As he attacked and dodged, she was on his mind, until finally he had just blurted it out, 'Why did you kill her?' Peter faltered for just a moment, letting his guard down. He explained that it hadn't been his intention, not at all! He explained how his mind had been racing the entire time he was in a coma; he'd been angry at everyone! At the Hunters for thinking they could just kill whomever they wished! At Talia for not seeing the dangers, even when he tried to warn her about Kate. And at all the other creatures in Beacon Hills that had done nothing to help as the Hales burned away. So he plotted his revenge, healed himself bit by bit, until he could finally wake up. The first thing he did was signal for Laura to come back, with the deer- he knew Deaton would contact her. Of course, he couldn't just go to Deaton himself, no, he needed everyone to think he was still out of commission for the plan to work. When Laura finally came, she dismissed his plan, told him to let it go- let it go? Ha! Like he could forgive everyone for abandoning them! And in his rage and disbelief that his own flesh and blood could forgive the monsters that had done this, he attacked. Laura never saw it coming, had assumed that he was still weak- she had no reason to assume that he'd try to kill her. As the Alpha power coursed through him, it pushed him even further over the edge and down the path of revenge. By then, Derek knew the rest of the story and Peter, showing the utmost amount of trust, dropped to his knees and bared his throat, asking for Derek to forgive him. They had been through so much, there was so much blood on their hands, and too much of it was each others'. In those moments, Derek remembered exactly how it felt to gain the Alpha power after he slashed Peter's throat. He had been in a pretty clear mindset then and even he felt like running through the woods and killing something… it was no wonder Peter had gone on his killing spree. And in a strange twist, even in all that rage, he had enough control to only go after the people that had covered up his family's murder. So after a moment Derek walked over and helped his uncle to his feet before slamming his fist into Peter's jaw. Of course Peter laughed, commenting that Derek was predictable, but they both knew it was Derek's way of communicating his acceptance of the apology but that he was still pissed and hadn't forgiven him. For Wolves at least, that was an important distinction- to have a bared throat be rejected meant banishment from the Pack at the very least (and death at the worst). But a Wolf could have atonement without being fully forgiven, it just meant they'd have to work hard to show they were worth trusting again. Derek recognized that Peter had come back a changed Wolf and had, in his own, selfish ways, helped the Pack in their times of need. He didn't deserve to be the Pack Omega anymore, at last Derek saw that. So the least he could do was accept Peter's posturing, even if the forgiveness wasn't there yet. Now he just needed Scott to the change too. And he had to try to convince him without spilling the beans about Kira's training. God, Derek missed the days when it was just him and Laura…

*5th Period English*

Kira was in English when she noticed Lydia waving at her through the door window. Thankfully Miss McCurdy was a pretty lax teacher and students could just excuse themselves to go to the bathroom. She quietly left the class, hallpass dangling from her fingers as she met the redhead a few paces away from the door, "What's up?"

"What's with you and Peter?"

The Fox froze, heart spiking, "W-what do you mean?"

"I didn't want to say anything but… Allison and I saw you speeding off after school yesterday and… I saw the car you got into. You've been acting... different lately and I can't stay quiet anymore. What did Peter want from you?"

"I, um, well, I…" Kira sighed, it was no use lying, she could tell Lydia wasn't going to be swayed from recognizing Peter's car. "I ran an errand with him, it was important."

"And what about when he came and sat with us at the game? He's never come to a game before, and you skipped school the day before. Is he pressuring you in any way?" Lydia asked, face full of concern. It made perfect sense that the Wolf would choose to prey on Kira. She was new in town and didn't know him at all- sure they had warned her about him but she wasn't here to experience it. Peter probably tried to downplay his past and convince her that they had lied about him. Kira was a Kitsune and she had access to a lot of power, it would be dangerous if Peter got his claws in her. And if he came to the game as a way of keeping an eye on Kira... the Fox was in deeper than she thought.

"I skipped because I was stressed… I… I feel so guilty about what happened to Stiles and I know that he's trying to act like nothing happened but, I can see it. He hasn't been sleeping well…. Even Allison is having trouble adjusting to things now that she almost died. I just needed a break from everything," Kira said, repeating the same lie she had told her parents, thankful that Lydia didn't have Were hearing and couldn't detect the lie.

"You don't have to be embarrassed or scared, I know all too well what kind of creep Peter is-"

Kira stiffened, "He hasn't been creepy. I know… I know that some stuff happened between you two and that it was… really bad. I appreciate your concern, honestly. But he hasn't been creepy at all. Deaton asked him for a favor and Peter realized he couldn't do it on his own so he asked for help. I think he asked me because I was the most likely to say yes, besides Derek- but Derek was helping Scott with Liam. He behaved himself."

"He didn't flirt with you, touch you in any way, or did he…" Lydia trailed off, seeing the blush on Kira's cheeks. She had been about to ask if he shared any stories with her, stories that painted Scott in a really bad light, to see if he was trying to poison her against the Alpha. But the blush told Lydia everything she needed to know. "What did he do?"

Kira knew that her attempts at playing it cool were pointless, she was so quick to blush dammit! But of course Lydia still thought she was just too ashamed to speak out against the older Were. She knew she needed to clear the air, "He didn't do anything I didn't want him to."

"E-excuse me, what did you say?"

"I was a willing participant, that's what I'm saying. Peter wasn't being creepy because I'm completely onboard with what happened."

"He's kissed you hasn't he?" Lydia accused. The redhead flashed back to her hallucinations of him, of how he'd wormed his way past her defenses. She grit her teeth as her mind recalled just how good of a kisser he was- it wasn't fair! That had been 12 months ago, why did she still remember?! If he had that affect on her, then surely the Kitsune was at risk too. And Lydia could tell by the look on Kira's face that she'd experienced the touch of his lips too…. She was too late… God, she swore that she wouldn't let Peter hurt anyone else and she'd failed! "We're going to Scott and-"

"No, please don't!" Kira begged, barely remembering to keep her voice down. "I swear, he only did what I wanted him too, I flirted with him, _I_ kissed him!"

Lydia shook her head, "No, he's a manipulator, that's what he does. You think that you started it but he's tricking you. He's going to try to use you to get back at Scott! That's the only thing Peter wants! You have to stay away from him Kira."

"You can't tell Scott- you can't! Please Lydia, it isn't what you think!"

"You like him, don't you? Like seriously _like_ him…"

Kira nodded, "Yes, I do. What's going on between Peter and me is private, it isn't the Pack's business-"

"You don't know Peter like we do, Scott deserves to know the truth!" Obviously Kira was under the monster's spell, there was no getting through to her. Scott needed to know right now before they lost Kira for good!

The Kitsune whined as Lydia scurried off, this wasn't supposed to happen yet! She hurried back into her classroom and put on her most pathetic tone, "Miss McCurdy… I think I need to go see the nurse…"

She turned and looked at her, it wasn't like Kira to get sick, but her cheeks were pink, did she have a fever? "Okay, go ahead, don't forget to get the notes from a classmate."

"Thanks." Slowly she packed her bag, not wanting to look like she was in a hurry. She held one hand over her stomach to add to the illusion she was feeling bad, just in case anyone was watching. When she got out into the hallway though, she pulled out her phone. As soon as the call connected, Kira let out a sob.

"I messed up! Oh god Peter, I messed up everything!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, what's happening? I thought you said things went okay with Liam at lunch?" Peter asked. He looked over at Derek, wondering if he had heard of any unsettling developments with the new Beta.

"What? No, this isn't about Liam… I…"

"You can tell me, just breath, I'm sure it isn't the end of the world."

Kira whined, obviously not feeling the same way. "Lydia found out…"

"About us? How?" Now Peter was standing, mind racing, thinking of what to do next.

"I told you I'm a horrible liar! She apparently saw me in your car yesterday and wanted to know why I was with you. I told her that you asked for my help with something and she accused you of being underhanded and sneaky and when she asked if you'd flirted with me or anything like that… I'm pretty sure the look on my face gave it all away. I tried to tell her that it was all on me, that I had been the one to kiss you but she won't listen…"

"Of course not, she has every reason to distrust me… There is no way she'd believe that anyone would be interested in me and it's just makes so much more sense that I'm tricking you somehow. Derek was of the same mindset for a few days."

"Wait, Derek knows about us, for real this time?" She remembered that they had almost been busted that day she learned how to heal. It hit her then, if they had almost gotten caught because of the excess scents in the loft back then… God, even Derek must have realized right away who had sex in his loft. No wonder he'd been staring at her earlier in the locker room! Talk about awkward. "He didn't make a big deal about it right?"

Peter grunted, "Eh, he made some accusations but eventually he came to realize that I was telling the truth. He may not be completely onboard but he at least understands and was willing to keep our secret. Guess that doesn't matter now."

Kira could hear Derek in the background, "So what are you going to do now? Scott probably won't let you train Liam anymore either… he'll probably see this as a reason to finally get rid of you…"

"Not if I have your help. Scott is going to come here looking for me and he's going to ask you if you had any idea. It's completely up to you to decide what you want to tell him," Peter said.

"He's going to be pissed at me when he finds out that I knew and kept it a secret…"

Peter smiled at his nephew, "You still know something he doesn't- he doesn't know Kira Claimed me. I might need you to explain to him what that is, so he'll at least understand that I'm not treating her like Lydia… Can you do that?"

"Yea… maybe… if he listens to me…" Derek sighed. Right when he decided that Peter deserved a little more leeway with the Pack, drama happened- of course! He had only just brought up the topic of Peter teaching Liam to Scott a few hours ago and that was probably out the window now! Scott wouldn't care about Peter's experience if he truly believed that his old Alpha was up to something. He was certain that the teenagers wouldn't understand at all but he had to try to explain. Just… hopefully it didn't get ugly. But Derek knew the bond between Kira and Peter was legit and he wasn't going to go back on his promise to his uncle.

"Kira, I need you to get excused from school, I'll be there to pick you up in a few minutes," Peter said. She said that she'd talk to her dad and wait for him out front. He hung up and grabbed his jacket.

"What exactly are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make sure that our precious Alpha can't screw me over. I'm going to return Kira's Claim." Peter smiled to himself as he hurried out to his car. Derek probably hadn't wanted to know that part of his plan but, well, he couldn't help himself. It was what needed to happen though, if he solidified their bond by returning Kira's Claim, the Alpha couldn't even order them apart. Bonds surpassed Alpha orders and could only be broken by those involved. As long as Derek and Noshiko could confirm that Kira had Claimed him first, he was in the clear. Of course Scott and Lydia were going to say that he pushed her into it, or that he'd bitten her first and brainwashed her but that was why he needed Derek in his corner, to explain how Claims worked. Noshiko's approval of their relationship and training would also go a long way to persuade the True Alpha to accept it, hopefully.

*School*

Kira poked her head into her dad's class, clearing her throat. Her dad frowned in confusion but stepped out to talk with her.

"What's wrong?"

"Dad, I need you to message the office and excuse me for the rest of the day, please!"

"Whoa, how come? What's happening?"

"I messed up, bad! Lydia found out about me and Peter and now we have to do damage control- it can't wait until after school though, I have to get my story straight before Scott finds me. Please, you understand right? This is important, Scott might try to hurt Peter if he thinks that I'm being brainwashed or something."

Ken sighed, worrying about what might happen but he also knew that it would be better for his daughter to clear all this up sooner rather than later. He would have preferred if Kira could have been the one to tell Scott about it but even then he was sure that the boy wouldn't understand. Hell, even if this was just about the training and not the relationship…. Apparently even without some dangerous creature roaming the town, Beacon Hills was full of supernatural excitement. "I'll notify the office, you just be careful okay. I know you achieved healing but I'd rather you didn't get between two Wolves going at it."

"I won't… I hope it doesn't come to that at all, Derek is at the loft so… Hopefully he'll help diffuse the situation. I appreciate that you believe in Peter but... Scott is awfully stubborn sometimes... Maybe we can have Mom there too- she knows the truth about our relationship and can assure him that I'm not being controlled or something. Thanks Dad, love you. I'll text you as soon as I know more about the situation!" With that she hurried out to the front of the school, biting her lip as she waited for Peter. When he pulled up a few minutes later, Kira climbed into the car and asked him what the plan was.

"Well, if you're up to it, I have to return your Claim, then Scott can't do shit about us being together or about me training you. You okay with that?"

She brightened, "More than okay!" She wanted to know how it felt to be bonded to someone, to have a permanent reminder, something to show off so everyone understood that she belonged to Peter. There was a huge grin on her face as Peter sped out of the parking lot and towards his apartment.

* * *

A/N: So, just updating everyone on the timeline here, since I know I left it kinda open in the "setting" back in Chapter 1. These are the events I'm keeping in mind: Lydia was Bitten by Peter (Feb 18th 2011); Peter was resurrected (March 29th 2011); Nogitsune was defeated (Nov 14th 2011). So I'm thinking that this story started around Feb 2012. A lot happened in a year and I often think that a lot more time has passed between all these events. But quite literally the Benefactor stuff starts within a year of Lydia being Bitten by Peter... holy crap! So this is for all my readers that have the same issue I do with recognizing just how little time has passed, as well as a reminder that this is all taking place while ignoring Season 4 and 5 so it's back in time compared to the show.


	11. Angry Pack Meeting

A/N: I know in the show, a lot of Peter's "helpful" moments still had a lot of sneaky undertones to them, but since I'm writing a real redemption arc for Peter and not a fake one, we're going to happily paint all those "helpful" moments as Peter actually trying to be helpful. So all of the moments that Derek talks about/brings up are supposed to be Peter doing his best to help them. As for the issue of Peter's attitude in 3.19 (helping Lydia with her Banshee powers), I'll be discussing all that in a later chapter. Since my favorite Wolf is getting his redemption, that means he and Lydia are going to have to have a sit down at some point! But that's about the only time Peter will be about as 'sneaky' as he was in Canon. So, just a reminder when you're reading through this chapter, the moments are supposed to be more sincere than what we saw in the show.

Also, since I know that not everyone reads all of my fics, I do tend to keep the same ideas through most of them. One of the ones I do like and have used before (most notably in Growing Up) is the telepathic bond Wolves share. It was touched on in the show kinda but then never talked about again (big surprise) but I like the idea! I'm going to be including that kinda thing in this fic too! It is something that all Packmates can do, not just Alphas. And it is more of... a 'feeling' or an 'understanding' it won't be like direct communication (although that is what I went with in Growing Up). I touched on it a bit in a previous chapter, of when Derek and Peter went on their run and I'm expanding on it in this chapter =) just wanted everyone to know =D and to also explain that it _isn't_ a direct communication thing, just a Wolf-to-Wolf mental connection that can be used to share thoughts/ideas/feelings etc.

This fic is branching out a bit, I'm writing more about other characters but I promise Peter/Kira and her training will still be the core of this fic! =D

* * *

*Apartment*

Kira looked up at the apartment building before Peter turned into the underground lot, "You live here?"

"What can I say, I appreciate physical comforts a bit more than Derek. Probably has something to do with being in a coma for so long," Peter mentioned, mostly to himself. When he'd first woken up, Peter had needed to stay at the care home, even after he'd killed Laura. No one could know that he was conscious again, not right away... Then as his madness gained momentum, he spent most of his time planning, just dropping cash on a motel so he could at least stay clean and have a place for his clothes. But when he came back from being dead he knew he'd need a place to stay, that Derek of course wouldn't want him- hell Peter was not going to be staying in that dingy subway station. Did Derek just not like spending money? Did he like living in poor conditions? Even when he finally moved into the loft, that wasn't much better. That building was rundown, but at least they did have privacy since he was the only one living there. But that wasn't the lifestyle for Peter... no, the Were wanted something a bit more comfortable. So, he found a reasonably priced apartment, probably a little fancier than necessary but, it suited him. Besides, it was Beacon Hills, there weren't many swanky places for him to choose from in the first place.

"This is really nice, no wonder you don't want everyone knowing where you live," Kira commented as she watched him swipe his keycard to get into the building. She looked around as they walked into the lobby and to the elevator bay. "I didn't know Beacon Hills had apartments this nice, reminds me of some of the places in Ney York."

"I don't even want to know how much an apartment like this would cost in New York" Peter chuckled. Again, he swiped his keycard and they entered an elevator, Peter pressing down on the number five. "And the rooms would probably be smaller, talk about a rip off."

Kira started to wonder just what he considered small but when the elevator doors opened, Kira only saw a few doors in the hallway. She had been expecting them to be a little closer together… Were the rooms really that big?

"Come on, I'm the corner apartment," Peter mentioned, striding forward. He unlocked the door and ushered her inside, maybe a little eager for her to finally see his place of residence. She was the first person in the Pack to see it after all- it was kind of a big moment. The Wolf softly closed the door behind them and followed Kira further inside, waiting for her to say something.

The Fox looked around for a good minute, this wasn't what came to mind when people mentioned living in apartments. There were large windows along both walls of the living room giving them a view of the city, there was a very nice kitchen and dining area and then a small hallway that she assumed led to the bedroom. She didn't want to appear too awed by all of this though, knowing it would make her age even more obvious so she decided to be a little cheeky. "No tv? What do you and Derek have against televisions?"

Peter laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he led her further into the living room, "I prefer to get my knowledge from books. I have a computer of course, the internet is an amazing thing but I'm just not a fan of sitting and watching a screen for long periods of time. I don't care much for Human news or various television shows."

"Yea, I can tell," the Kitsune commented, seeing his collection of books, there were so many. "Where did they come from? I thought… in the fire…"

"I didn't live at the house in the woods, although I did spend most of my time there, like the rest of the Pack. I had a small house but Derek and Laura sold it, put my belongings in storage since, well, there was no guarantee that I'd ever wake up. Once I was resurrected and we dealt with the whole Jackson being a Kanima situation, I found this place and moved my stuff in." Peter sat down on the couch and pulled the younger girl into his lap, nuzzling her hair. "Are you sure you want to do this? We don't have to."

"But I _do_ want to," Kira answered, leaning into his touch. "I want to show everyone that I belong to someone, that I'm wanted and loved. I want to know what it feels like to be bonded to someone- to you! We've already had sex so I'm not nervous about this being my first time or anything."

"I just want to make sure that you don't feel pressured. Just because we had sex once doesn't mean that you can't say no in the future. If you feel at all like this is too rushed we can wait, you've Claimed me already and there is nothing Scott can do about that. I just know that I want to return the Claim and that the sooner I do so, the stronger our bond will be and-"

"Then do it," Kira whispered, lightly biting down over Peter's scar. "I want them to know that I Claimed you as my Mate and that I accepted a mark from you in return. I'll completely stand by your side and support you, regardless of the circumstances. Mom told me that Kitsunes don't form Packs and that me being a part of Scott's Pack is just a technicality, I'm a part of it because I say I am. So I'd have no problem leaving in order to stay with you."

Peter swallowed, touched by her statement; he knew as well that Kitsunes didn't feel the call of the Pack like Wolves did, but still, to hear her say that she'd choose him… No one had chosen him in a long time. He reached up, lightly running a hand through her hair, "That means a lot to me."

"Well, we're Mates aren't we? We'll be there for each other through thick and thin, True Alpha or no True Alpha in our way. Once Scott sees that we're fully committed to each other, he'll have to back down or lose us both," Kira stated before kissing him on the lips. She wanted this, it didn't feel rushed at all. If she had known it was a thing earlier, she probably would have asked him to Claim her their first time, alongside her marking him. The others may have a troubled past with Peter, but she didn't and she wanted to be with him, blue eyes or not.

Peter lifted them from the couch, arms wrapping around her securely so he could carry her to the bedroom; he knew his apartment well enough that he didn't bother to halt the kiss, lightly sucking on her lower lip. His bedroom door was left open so he was able to just walk in and deposit her on the bed before shutting it. Peter took a moment to just look her over, appreciating the way she looked in his bed.

She smiled widely at him, scooting up further on the bed before beckoning him closer. Kira's eyes started to glow as he climbed onto the bed and over top of her. As he settled his weight down on his elbows, hips pressing into her, Kira wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer. She started to grow excited, realizing that this was really happening, that she was going to be Claimed today, it would all be official by supernatural standards. "What are you waiting for," Kira asked, kissing along Peter's jaw.

The Wolf lightly ran his hand up under her shirt, rubbing her bare sides, "Last time was a 'heat of the moment' thing, I want to savor this. We're here, in my apartment, safe and secluded from the outside world, it's just you and me." He rolled his hips down so she could feel how hard he was, letting her know that he was just as eager for this. Satisfied by her moan, he sucked at her neck as he lifted her shirt higher, uncovering her bra. "I want to make you feel good," he mumbled against her throat. As he registered her heart speeding up and the change of her scent, Peter started to growl lightly, his Wolf coming to the surface. His hands unclasped her bra and he pushed the fabric aside, tongue finding her nipple.

Kira moaned louder and arched her back a bit, fingers tangling in his hair to encourage him. As his free hand came up to squeeze her other breast, Kira started rolling her hips upward, craving more friction between her legs. She loved what he was doing but she also wanted more so she whined impatiently, tugging on his hair. "Peter…"

"In a hurry?" he smirked before flicking her peaked nipple with his tongue.

"I need more of you. I don't want to wait anymore…"

"Pardon me for the delay," Peter answered, sitting back on his heels so he could undo the button on her shorts. He smiled as Kira pulled her shirt the rest of the way off, it and her bra getting tossed to the floor. Then he was lifting her hips, pulling down her shorts but leaving her underwear. He made a show of taking off her shoes and socks before leaving her on the bed, mostly naked.

Kira propped herself up on her elbow, pouting a bit, "Why am I the only one so naked?"

"Because I love looking at you," Peter replied, eyes starting to glow as he looked her over.

She felt a flush spread across her face at his words; it felt good to see a man look at her like this, but she still couldn't fight the self-conscious blush. Honestly, she wasn't sure she'd ever get over the way Peter looked at her, the way his eyes traveled over her body, the desire evident.

"But in an effort to be fair," Peter said, trailing off. Slowly he kicked off his shoes and socks and then lifted his shirt over his head. "Better?"

"You're still wearing pants," she answered, feeling a little more confident. "We can't do anything if you're still wearing those."

Suddenly Peter leaned forward, grabbing her hips and easily pulling her down to the edge of the bed, smirking at her surprised squeal. "There is still plenty I can do while wearing pants," he promised, dropping down to his knees. "These will have to go though," he stated, leaning forward and lightly biting at the waistband of her underwear.

"Wh-what exactly are you planning on doing?" Kira asked, not fully able to silence the nervous stuttering. Her heart was jumping around in her chest- Peter was just full of surprises.

The Wolf rubbed soft circles on her hips with his thumbs and kissed the inside of her thigh, "Just going to make you feel good, like I promised. I'm dying to taste you, if you'll let me."

Oh, he was talking about that… Kira sucked in a breath, needing air, "R-really? You don't have to..."

"Do you not like it? Or just never had someone use their tongue before?" Peter asked, not quite sure if she was nervous or put off.

"Never… done that before…" she mumbled, biting her lip. While she wasn't totally inexperienced, this was definitely new to her. But she couldn't deny the jolt that went through her at the thought of him between her legs like that.

He slipped his fingers under the edge of her underwear, "Are you game to try? All you have to say is that you don't like it and I can stop."

She looked at him, remembering how he had made her feel the other day. Peter wasn't the type to fumble around and be unsure, if he was offering it was because he enjoyed it just as much. Kira willed her nerves to calm down and nodded, "I'm willing to try." As he pulled her underwear off, she laid back on her elbows and took a deep breath, willing her muscles to relax. She was a big girl, she could handle a little foreplay.

Peter started off slow, sliding a finger inside her to warm her up, tongue pressing against her clit. Since he now knew this was her first time with this he wanted to ease her into it, help her relax, knowing that she'd enjoy it more if she wasn't as tense. He could tell that she was excited for it but nervous at the same time, so he'd show her that there was nothing to worry about. Slowly his sped up the moments of his finger and tongue, waiting until he felt her thighs fall open a little more; Peter moved his tongue down, sliding against her opening as he removed his finger. His eyes flicked up, taking in her face, judging her reaction.

The Kitsune moaned softly as she felt him press his tongue inside her, one hand holding her open a bit. At first his movements were slow but they picked up speed as well as pressure. She could feel his tongue curling against her walls before he moved back to her clit, sucking and licking, fingers inside her again. As she adjusted to the sensation, Kira hooked one leg around Peter's neck, pulling him closer as she rolled her hips. Her head dropped back and her breathing sped up, "Peter, oh Peter," she moaned, gripping the sheets as he worked faster. As his tongue worked her over, Kira felt herself let go even more, hips jerking as her legs tightened around his shoulders. Without warning she sat up, tangling one hand in his hair as she moaned loudly, "Peter, I, I need more of you, please!" Kira tugged on his hair and untangled her legs from around him; she pulled him up onto the bed, crashing her lips against his, ignoring the strong taste of her on his mouth. "I can't… I need you, please. Mark me, I need you to mark me," she whimpered. Inside, the Fox was going crazy, needing to feel closer to Peter, eager to be Claimed in return. The two of them easily maneuvered higher onto the bed again, Kira blindly tugging at his pants as they kissed. Peter helped her, undoing his pants and kicking them off before settling between her legs again.

He could feel tingling along his back, Kira's excitement was building up and forming electricity along her arms. His possessive growls grew louder as he nibbled on her lips, easily lining up and thrusting inside her. They both moaned, rocking their bodies together, quickly finding a rhythm. Kira raked her nails down his back, needing to feel as close to him as she could, legs wrapped around him to help give her purchase as she lifted her hips and arched her back. Soon she was screaming out his name as he thrust inside her, rubbing her in all the right places. Kira was kissing him aggressively, licking into his mouth and sucking on his lower lip- she couldn't get enough of him. They broke apart for air, the Kitsune whining loudly as her energy overwhelmed her... she couldn't even find the control to call out properly. And then Peter was nuzzling at her neck, kissing and biting down gently with Human teeth. They were both feeling the pull but Peter still had enough control that he wanted to warn her, ask one final time if she wanted this.

"Peter, Claim me," she panted out, tilting her head to give him even more access. "Make me yours."

That was all the encouragement he needed, Peter let his fangs grow and he bit down into her neck, eyes flaring brightly as some of his essence poured into her. Kira let out a loud keening noise, legs wrapping around him tightly as her lightning pulsed, accepting this new essence. They stayed jointed for a few long moments, Peter taking his time before finally pulling back his fangs and letting go of her neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kissing her cheek, her ear, her hair.

"I feel amazing," she answered, panting heavily. Sure, maybe the bite stung a bit, especially now that he'd let go and she was coming down from the waves of passion but… she also felt the bond Peter had told her about. It was incredible, feeling even closer to Peter than before, knowing that he'd marked her, permanently.

Peter rolled them over, cuddling the Fox to his chest and rubbing her back. He felt pretty amazing as well, his Wolf howling with pride at Claiming his Mate. "Dammit…" Peter suddenly cursed, hating himself for his oversight.

"What's wrong?" Kira asked, looking up with concern.

"I'm no better than an overly eager teen… I should have grabbed a condom, I have some in the nightstand… I got them when I realized that I wanted to be with you. I was planning on using one, you're way too young for kids."

Kira laughed, glad that that was the only issue. "I'm on the pill, otherwise I would have mentioned it."

"I know you are, but still, a secondary means of birth control is always a good idea," the Wolf commented.

"There's always next time," she assured him, knowing that she was definitely going to want more of this. Besides, at least with Peter she knew he was clean, what with Were healing and all that.

"So I did good?" Peter teased, squeezing her tighter.

"Oh please, like you ever doubted yourself! That was amazing, just like the first time- and now we're fully bonded to each other! No one can stop us."

Peter groaned, "Speaking of stopping us… we should probably make our appearance at the loft, before my poor nephew gets overwhelmed. I'm sure by now the rest of the Pack has backed him into a corner."

"Yea, we can't just stay here forever," Kira sighed, nuzzling into his chest a little more.

"We can always come back later for cuddles, if your parents are okay with that."

"But it's a school night…"

"Yea but we solidified out bond, that's a pretty big deal. Your parents will probably make an exception, just this once," Peter guessed. Hell, Mr. Yukimura had been understanding enough to actually excuse Kira from school, knowing full well it meant he was in support of their relationship. He may only be Human, but he was well versed in the supernatural world thanks to Noshiko. If he had been okay with her leaving school to deal with this situation, surely they'd both be okay with Kira spending the night here. He wouldn't push the issue though, take advantage of their goodwill, it would only be tonight. Maybe he'd sneak into her room to spend time with her, but nothing inappropriate while her parents were asleep right down the hall, Peter had better manners than that.

"Just a few more minutes though?"

"I can agree to that," he chuckled, closing his eyes and just breathing in her scent. They could clean up and get dressed in a little while, Derek could survive a few more minutes on his own.

*School*

The gang was huddled together near the parking lot, Scott barely able to keep his eyes from glowing red. Lydia had come to him immediately and when he'd excused himself to check on Kira, she was gone. Peter was going to pay for this!

"First place we're going to check is the loft, Peter is almost always there anyways and even if he isn't, Derek will have some idea of where we can find him," Scott told the group. "We aren't going to let Kira get hurt!"

Isaac was about to ask a question when suddenly he was knocked to the side, Liam growling loudly as he joined the circle, "Kira is in danger?"

"Liam, go to practice," Stiles said, knowing they couldn't risk bringing the out-of-control Beta.

"No! If Kira is in trouble, I want to help! She's my friend! What's happening?" Now that he… kinda had the hang of Were hearing, Liam had been listening in on the meeting- just to stay in the loop! So when he'd heard Kira's name, he'd acted on instinct. But it had been a good thing he'd eavesdropped! Otherwise he'd have no idea! They wouldn't have thought to tell him, that was obvious.

Allison was the one to answer, "Peter took her."

"Peter… but… isn't he in the Pack?" Liam asked, suddenly very confused. Was this the same Peter that was teaching Kira? Oh! That's right, she said it was a secret… Kira probably wasn't even in danger. And just earlier, as he was leaving the locker room, he had listened in and heard Derek mentioning Peter as a potential mentor to him! Scott was obviously just unaware of what was going on. Still though, he wanted to be around to help, just in case Kira really was in danger.

"He's a manipulative monster," Lydia mentioned, arms wrapping around her torso.

"But, I thought he was going to teach me? What's so bad about him?"

Malia turned and looked at the smaller Beta- "What do you mean teach you?"

"It doesn't matter, that offer is obviously off the table, Derek was wrong about his uncle-"

"We don't really have time to be sitting here," Lydia urged, grabbing Allison's hand and pulling her towards the parking lot.

"Lydia's right, the longer we stand around, the more danger Kira is in," Scott stated, hurrying over to his bike.

Stiles, Malia, and Isaac hurried over to the Jeep, Liam right behind them. When Stiles saw him, he held up his hands, "Oh no kiddo, go to practice."

"No, let him come," Isaac suggested, maybe this would help him feel more like Pack. He said that he considered Kira to be a friend, and Kira was technically in the Pack. If they tried to stop him from helping, it would only make Liam feel more isolated. Besides, Scott never demanded that Liam stay out of it. It was best the newbie found out about Peter sooner rather than later.

"Fine, but if he does any damage to my baby, he's paying for it," Stiles called out, moving his seat so Malia could climb into the back. Liam hurried in after her, hands balled into fists as he tried to keep himself centered. Kira was probably very safe, they just didn't know about Kira's training, that was all. He had promised to keep her secret too, so he didn't want to say anything. But maybe Derek knew the truth and that was why he had mentioned Liam getting taught by him too? If that was the case, this would all be cleared up soon. And then Scott would have no reason to tell Derek that Peter couldn't help train Liam!

*Loft*

Derek groaned to himself as he heard the cars screech to a halt in the lot below- looks like they figured out Kira was gone. He'd already messaged Peter, not that he was expecting a response, he was… busy. Derek sat on the couch and waited, arms crossed as he leaned back. This was sure to be interesting, just as long as a fight didn't break out- he was too tired to put up with that today.

"Derek, where is Peter!" Scott yelled out as soon as the elevator doors opened, not even in the loft yet. IIt was only a moment later that the door slid open and Scott barged inside, the others right behind him. All of them were glaring, looking around the loft for their perceived enemy.

Derek raised his brows, "Yes, do come in, help yourselves." One of these days he'd actually lock the door, just to mess with them. Maybe.

"Derek, do you know where Peter is? We think he's hurting Kira," Lydia explained.

"So help me, if I find out he's doing anything remotely shady, he's dead- new code be damned," Allison snapped, mini crossbow already in her hand.

"All of you, calm down!" Derek ordered. He knew that Allison had a grudge against him but that was no reason to be so ready to kill him. She hadn't been so quick to demand Aiden's head when he was one of the 'bad guys' and was dating Lydia. Not even after they found Erica's body, not even after they helped kill Boyd.

"Calm down?" Lydia cried out. "How can we calm down when there is a high probability that Peter is manipulating a very powerful Kitsune? Derek, he could use her to kill us! To finally get back at us for what we did!"

"Kira wouldn't do that," he countered. "She considers all of you friends." Also because that wasn't what Peter was doing…

"Yea, and I didn't want to bring Peter back to life yet he controlled me and forced me to," Lydia reminding him, voice barely above a whisper.

Derek didn't have a comment for that- honestly that was between his uncle and Lydia, and he didn't really have any confidence that that bridge would ever be built between them. And he certainly wasn't going to tell Lydia that she was in any way overreacting… she had every right to feel violated by Peter and to do her best to prevent him from ever doing something like that again. But Derek also had proof that this was vastly different from what had happened with her.

"Tell us where to find him," Allison demanded. "We aren't going to let him hurt Kira!"

The older Beta just sat there and stared at them, they were going off half-cocked and that was a bad habit to have. Scott needed to learn to keep his cool, even when his Packmates were in danger. If Scott didn't know the whole situation and he barged in somewhere demanding answers… well that could lead to trouble. Hell, Derek had jumped to the same conclusions and he'd gotten his ass kicked for it. He knew the Alpha wasn't to blame though, he was just inexperienced and he cared- that was a good thing. But he needed to see the bigger picture here instead of jumping to conclusions prematurely.

"Derek… why don't you seemed surprised by any of this?" Scott finally asked when he made no move to answer Allison. Everything about his posture was telling Scott that he wasn't shocked at all to see them here, demanding Peter's head. And he also didn't look like he was on their side of things.

Isaac looked between his current Alpha and his old one, not really understanding what was happening right now. Derek had made it clear that he wasn't a fan of Peter but… Scott had a point- Derek was doing nothing to help them find the dangerous Were, knowing that Kira was missing. That wasn't like Derek at all. The only reason he'd hesitate to side with Scott on this is because he knew something they didn't. Something that meant Scott was wrong….

"Are you helping him?" Allison accused, stepping forward and raising her crossbow just a bit. Was Peter brainwashing his nephew too, or was this just some sort of 'family duty' thing? Either way, Allison wasn't comfortable about the fact that Derek seemed to be siding with Peter.

"Things aren't what you think they are, none of you understand the situation. Peter hasn't done anything wrong."

"Hasn't-? Derek, he's corrupting Kira!" Lydia cried out.

"Do you have any proof of that? You shouldn't make accusations like that against a Packmate without proof."

"We don't have proof that he isn't!" Scott countered. "He has a history and we're just looking out for Kira."

"I have proof that he isn't doing anything wrong… People can change Scott- you 're the one that keeps pounding that into us… yet you turn a blind eye when it comes to Peter."

"But…" Scott furrowed his brow. Yes, he did believe that people could change… except Peter- he'd done too much damage. He looked at Derek closely, recalling the reason that they even kept the resurrected Wolf around in the first place, what had been mentioned in the locker room. Peter was important- he was a sarcastic asshole but he was important. Even Scott couldn't deny, as much as he wanted to, that Peter always pulled through for them when he was needed. It didn't change the fact that Peter had no reason to be sneaking around with Kira behind their backs, which just acted as more evidence that he was up to something bad. And Derek had mentioned something about Peter going Rogue again… did this have anything to do with it?

"Wait, so something _is_ going on between Peter and Kira?" Malia asked. She still wasn't sure of what the problem was… they had warned her about Peter, even before they found out that he was her biological father. But, he was Pack for some strange reason, even if no one seemed to trust him. She also knew that Lydia was absolutely terrified of Peter and that Allison hated him- something to do with killing her aunt. God, Pack was so confusing! As far as Malia knew, Peter was helpful and that made him acceptable, not deadweight. Wasn't Stiles always trying to tell her that the past was in the past… that's what they told her when they found out she ate her mom and sister. So if that was the case for her, for Jackson, for Derek, even Allison, why not Peter? Scott hadn't chased him out of town so clearly his crimes couldn't be that bad…. So where was his forgiveness? Malia growled quietly to herself, once again not understanding just what the message of this Pack was supposed to be. So what if he wasn't 'nice' like Scott (hell, Stiles always called him Satan in a v-neck) but Malia wasn't really 'nice' either… Did that mean that maybe… if she couldn't learn control… she'd get kicked out too?

"Do any of you know what Claiming is?" Derek asked, nodding to Malia to let her know that he'd heard her question. All of the teenagers shook their heads. "I'd prefer to keep it that way, it isn't something teenagers should know about but… well, you need to know more about it if you're to understand the situation. But before I explain anything, I need you all to understand that Kira isn't being manipulated, isn't being controlled, and she isn't in any danger."

"I find that very hard to believe," Scott muttered.

"Same," Allison said while Lydia raised a skeptical brow.

"That's because you don't know the whole situation, so listen! Claiming is something that happens between two supernatural creatures, when the animal sides of them are in sync with each other. I'm sure the Weres in the room at least understand what it means to 'scent' someone?"

Malia smiled and nodded, glad that she at least understood this! This was easy for her, unlike math. She was shocked to see that Isaac was the only other one to nod and he only looked vaguely sure of his answer. "Scenting is important to us, why don't you guys know that?" she asked.

"I think they understand on a subconscious level," Derek answered, deciding to just start from the basics. He wasn't surprised that Malia understood, all her years as a Coyote would have greatly influenced her basic understanding of their animalistic tendencies. "There are many different types of scenting and I know all of you recognize it, even if you don't think you do. Every time you hug each other, touch in some way, you are reaffirming you ties to each other, as a Pack. Allison smells like Allison but she also smells like the rest of us, because we all interact with her on a daily basis. Stiles smells like Stiles, Pack, but also like Malia although Malia has a very strong scent claim over him because they are dating."

"Yup, I'm always covering Stiles in my scent so everyone knows he's mine!"

"Exactly," the Hale nodded.

"Wait… like… you own me?" Stiles asked, eyes wide. That was… barbaric…

"No, not like that," Derek huffed. Honestly, this wasn't that hard of a concept!

"That you two are committed to each other," Isaac guessed, sort of understanding after all his time as a Were.

Allison lowered her bow as she thought about how Scott used to always touch her. To anyone with a good nose, they could take one look at her and understand her place in the Pack and her relationships with everyone in it. That may have even saved her a few times, marking her as a Packmate instead of as just a Hunter. And now the same could be said for Stiles- he wasn't just some Human, he was a part of Scott's Pack and Malia's significant other.

"Exactly, not only is it her scent that covers you the most out of all of ours, her scent also carries more of a… sensual undertone to it that the rest of ours don't. So, scent marking is important, not just in a Pack sense, but in an intimate sense as well. For most teenagers, that's plenty far enough. Now just because I'm explaining this to you all doesn't mean you should all start trying to Claim each other! This is something for only the most serious of relationships! Although, you can't properly Claim a Human anyways, their spirit isn't really… tuned to the supernatural so you can't really mix essences with them. You could always give them the mark anyways, just so everyone knows anyways but it doesn't have the same effect and they can never really return it. And as an Alpha that's dangerous because if you don't know what you're doing, you can easily end up turning someone on accident-"

"Okay wait, you're losing us," Isaac interrupted. "We get that we aren't supposed to do whatever it is but you haven't even told us what 'it' is that you're talking about… kinda hard to follow along."

"Claiming, staking a claim on your significant other, is to permanently mark them so everyone understands the two of you are together," Derek said.

"He's Claimed her! And you didn't think to tell us?!" Scott roared, perfectly understanding where this was going now.

"That isn't what happened, don't assume-"

"Has Peter Claimed her or not?" Allison asked. Clearly he'd told them about this 'Claiming' stuff for a reason- it had to do with what Peter was doing to Kira!

Malia frowned, "I can't Claim Stiles?"

"This is all just too weird," Liam mumbled to himself. This wasn't what he had in mind at all when he came here today. This was like chapter 7 of the Werewolf manual and he hadn't even read the summary yet! Claiming, scenting… he barely understood Pack right now and there was all this other stuff involved too? He just wanted to play lacrosse!

Derek clenched his jaw, getting irritated at everyone trying to talk over each other. He let out a loud roar, drowning all of them out. Satisfied that they were listening again he blurted out the truth- "Kira Claimed Peter!"

There was a loud clattering as Allison dropped her bow, as well as a pained whine from Lydia.

"That's right, Kira's Fox has chosen Peter to be her Mate and _she_ Claimed _him_ this past Sunday."

"Okay, and how do we know that Peter didn't manipulate her into that?" Lydia asked, voice shaking a bit as she tried to remain calm. Kira just didn't understand what she was doing, there was no way she knew what it meant to Claim someone. It just had to be because Peter pushed her into it!

Derek sighed impatiently, now that he had reconnected with his uncle as a Packmate, Derek was able to see just how unfair all of this was. If he was already sick of it, he had absolutely no idea how Peter had put up with it for so long. "I think all of you are failing to grasp the situation. But, it's understandable, up until a few days ago, I was thinking the same thing as you. But just think for a moment- what exactly has Peter done since he's come back, let's discuss shall we? First he helped us deal with Jackson as a Kanima as well as Gerard, he was the one that figured out that Jackson wasn't actually dead but evolving. He was the one that realized the danger we were all in… But he also knew that the key to saving him was Lydia; Peter knew how to save him when I voted to kill him. Then, he was the one that helped me search, weeks on end, for my Betas- do you know how many hours he put into finding Erica and Boyd? Not to mention that he was the one that helped us uncover Isaac's memories in the first place after we realized that they had tried to steal them. He was also the one that figured out the trap we were walking into when we tried to save Boyd and Cora. Granted that information was a little late, but Stiles can attest to the fact that he did try to warn us when Scott and I had impatiently rushed into the unknown. Peter was there in the hospital fighting to protect Cora and the rest of us from the Alphas; I think he's the only reason Cora is still alive- he told me how to heal her! Hell Peter was the one that actually took care of Jennifer and-"

"What are you talking about… I thought…" Stiles asked, looking to Scott. Scott had told them all that Deucalion had stepped forward and slashed the Darach's throat at the end of the eclipse. Peter wasn't even there…

"Apparently Deucalion didn't quite finish the job. Yea, Deucalion- you remember him, the one that killed two of my Betas and yet Scott let him walk away!" Derek was glaring at Scott, that was all still a very sore spot for the Hale. He had threatened them all and had killed two of his own but just like that, Scott was willing to let him go. The True Alpha clearly didn't understand the pain of losing a Beta… hopefully he never would. "The Demon Wolf didn't even finish the job. While all of us happily assumed that she'd been taken care of and left her for dead, Peter realized just how strong of a Darach she was. He knew that there was a high possibility that she was still alive. And guess where he found her- crawling back to the Nemeton, asking for power, again. My uncle is the reason that she won't be coming back for round three." Derek turned and looked at Stiles next, "And it was him that helped us save you from the Nogitsune, it was his idea to send Scott and Lydia into your head, his guiding hand that helped Scott, not mine. Peter was the only one to step up when the two of them were in trouble, the one that guided Lydia past the Nogitsune's defenses. The rest of us didn't know what to do, how to help!

"Then there is the time we both spent with the Calaveras'- Peter snarked day and night, taking the brunt of the torture, and he did it to save my skin. He knew the price he was paying by talking back to her and he willingly paid it, for me. Does that sound like the old Peter at all, the one that would do anything to come out on top? I was the only one around to hear his screams and trust me, the Calaveras' didn't go easy. And after we got back, he's the one that helped me talk to my mother, by using her claws- an experience that was very draining for him. That's the Peter that you all need to be thinking of, because that's the Peter that Kira chose to Claim!"

He paused there, taking a moment to collect himself again. He did notice that most of the teenagers in the room had the decency to look thoughtful. Hopefully his words were getting through to them. "So, back to the original question you had Lydia- it is impossible to manipulate those types of feelings. You can only Claim someone when you feel absolutely connected to them, when you love them wholeheartedly. A Claim can't be born out of lust- that's just dangerous and would lead to chaos. Peter doesn't have any way of manipulating Kira like that in the first place, but let's say that he did try, similar to what happened with you, that's all he could get out of her, lust, not love. Sometimes tricking the Human side might be simple but it isn't quite so easy to trick the animal side into having passion like that. So that means her feelings for him are legitimate and completely her own. And that also means, when Peter returns her Claim, that his feelings will be just as wholesome- keep that in mind."

Lydia and Allison looked at each other, Kira had honestly wanted Peter…? How could that have happened? Apparently the Alpha was wondering the same thing.

"How can she possibly love him, she's only seen him twice," Scott accused, still not ready to believe it.

"Well, that's where you're wrong," Derek said, not offering any clarification.

Isaac cleared his throat, afraid to voice the implication… but he knew someone had to. "They've been spending time together…"

Derek nodded and steeled himself for the onslaught of outrage.

"You knew and didn't tell us?!" Scott asked, incredulous.

"Derek how could you allow this! You should have come straight to us when you found out!" Lydia stated.

Allison clenched her hands into fists, "And just how long has this been going on?"

There was a pause, the Were deciding which question to address first… only the last one didn't require him to break his promise to Noshiko, about their training… "I only found out Sunday, that was when I learned the truth. I can't say for certain how long they've actually been hanging out though," Derek supplied.

"I'm calling Mrs. Yukimura, she needs to know about this!" Scott stated, pulling out his phone.

Derek just gave him a look, one brow raised higher than the other.

Just before he hit the call button, Scott saw Derek's face and remembered that on Friday, she had come to the loft to talk to Peter. It had been so out of place but now it all made sense. She had found out that the two of them were hanging out somehow and had confronted him about it. "She already knows, doesn't she?"

"Knows and approves," Peter called out, standing in the open doorway with one arm over Kira's shoulders. He had thought about coming to his nephew's rescue sooner but he'd been surprised, and touched, by Derek's outburst a few minutes ago. It had taken him a moment to collect himself… But it was time to step in, Derek didn't deserve to be yelled at over this.

"She would never!" Allison argued, looking at him in disgust.

Kira scowled, "Don't act like you know more about this situation than we do. Peter isn't lying. Both of my parents know about my time spent with Peter and they know I Claimed him. They don't have any issues with what's happening between us so none of you should either."

"K-Kira?" Scott stuttered, shocked.

"I knew you were okay!" Liam called out brightly, not really understanding what the big deal was. So, apparently her and this Peter guy were involved but… why was everyone so upset? He looked a bit older than the rest of them sure, but that was about the only weird thing about it to him. Derek's explanation made sense- their inner animals liked each other or something… Scott kept saying that Derek was supposed to be some kind of expert and he _just_ said that everything was okay, so Liam was satisfied. At least concerning this issue- the issue of him being no longer being strictly Human… he was still working on that.

"Liam, they dragged you here too?" Kira asked, surprised to see him here. Wow, they turned this into a Pack event. Was this how… against Peter they were?

"Well, I tagged along, they said that you were missing and that Peter was involved. I figured you were just training and-" Liam cut himself off, realizing what he just said.

"Training?" Scott repeated, claws popping out. So he was up to something! He was turning Kira into a weapon just like Lydia thought!

"And it's going quite well, take a look for yourself," Peter said, walking further into the loft. He began rubbing Kira's shoulder with his thumb, willing some of his calmness into her. She was nervous as hell right now, and while that was understandable, she needed to stay strong on order to stand up to Scott and the others. They were going to be throwing accusations his way and he wasn't sure if she was prepared for that.

"What do you mean?" Allison asked.

Scott flashed his eyes, stumbling back in surprise when he saw Kira's aura, "What have you done to her?!"

Immediately the other Weres flashed their eyes and looked at the Kitsune, Malia and Liam both furrowing their brows in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" Malia asked, scanning the aura but not seeing anything alarming.

"It's- her aura is different!" Isaac cried out.

"No it isn't," Liam stated. "This is how it looked when I first saw her…"

"Yea, it hasn't changed at all," Malia agreed, dimming her eyes and looking at Scott.

"What does it look like?" Lydia asked, eyes scanning the Kitsune in a hopeless attempt to see her aura.

The older Hale smiled at the group, pulling out his phone and easily finding the picture he took of her. "It looks like this… well, she has three Tails now and this one only has two but, close enough."

Cautiously Stiles, Allison, and Lydia leaned closer, gasping as they took in the drastic change.

"I don't understand, changed how? I don't see anything different," Malia complained. It was the same aura she had seen yesterday, the silvery white light with the sharp edges and the tails.

Liam nodded, waiting for an answer as well, glad that for once, he wasn't the only one confused.

Hastily Scott dug out his phone, rifling through all his old pictures before finding the one he'd taken of her. "It used to be orange, with no tails, very simple…" he explained, showing the two Betas.

"I definitely like the new one better," Liam stated, not really grasping the seriousness of the situation. What was wrong with getting a new aura? Werewolves all had different eye colors to mean different things… why not Kitsune too?

"Peter, what did you do to her?" Scott asked, turning back to his old Alpha.

"Scott don't treat me like a child! I'm right here in the room and I'm perfectly capable of answering your questions! My aura has changed because Peter has been training me, helping me to earn my Tails. We've been working hard to make progress- it's absolutely exhausting! But I have three now," Kira told them all, smiling proudly and leaning into Peter's side. "There is nothing wrong with my aura, it's changing- growing, because I'm growing too! This is a good thing, I promise. Why… why wouldn't I want to get stronger? This is a completely natural change for my aura, it's nothing to worry about. I can't believe you all just assumed the worst… You guys don't know anything about Kitsune, about what this means for my kind… So you just jumped to conclusions, thinking you know what's best for me…" Kira had thought that they'd all be excited about her new aura but instead they were scared… worried that this was some sign that she was being manipulated? Had thought that Peter had somehow altered her aura by unsavory means? They really were in the dark about a lot, and they were letting their distrust cloud their judgment.

"Kira, you can't trust him… he's going to turn you into a weapon," Allison warned, reaching out a hand to her, wanting to pull her away from Peter.

"The only one capably of turning me into a weapon is me- I'm the one that chooses how to use my powers," the Kitsune scowled, nuzzling into his side more. "I think all of you are forgetting that we're all in charge of our own actions here, how exactly is Peter going to make me do anything?"

"You weren't here for it! Peter controlled me!" Lydia yelled suddenly, hands clenched into fists.

The Kitsune looked down at the floor, forgetting about Lydia's experience. "Peter is different now…. I know I wasn't here for all that, and I don't know anything about what happened but…I promise he isn't the same person as before his death. He was reborn, he's better now."

"A psychopath like Peter doesn't get better," Lydia called out. "He's only looking out for himself!"

Peter mentally cringed, this wasn't where he had wanted the conversation to go. Nothing he could do about it now though so he might as well take charge of the conversation. Kira had tried to stand up for him, Derek had tried to reason with them, but they just weren't listening. So it was Peter's turn. "I'll acknowledge that all of you have every reason to be suspicious. What I did to Lydia… well it was fucked up to say the least. The mindset I was in when I Bit her directly affected the hallucinations she had. So needless to say, that meant she didn't have the best time because she was still dealing with the old me. But I genuinely care for Kira and this situation is nothing like what happened in the past. But none of you will ever believe a word I have to say and I was hoping that the fact that I was supported not only by Derek but by Kira's parents as well, would help persuade you. Those three understand this situation and acknowledge that I am not doing anything underhanded. Even if you don't trust me, surely the three of them you can trust?"

"We all know you're extremely manipulative," Isaac commented. "Who's to say that you haven't tricked them somehow?"

Derek tensed, jaw clenching tightly- hadn't they heard a word he'd said? He could understand Lydia still being distrustful but the others? They all seemed to have hardened against Peter again. But his uncle seemed to take it all in stride… even with almost the whole Pack against him, he showed no fear or uncertainty… But Derek could feel the turmoil that was hiding under the surface and he struggled to comfort him via their Pack bond.

Peter rolled his eyes, "Please, these are traditions that predate all of us! Just because all of you are pups and don't know anything about this, doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong. Ask Deaton then, there is no way the Druid came under my influence. Hell, the last time I saw him was when we were all at Scott's house with the Nogitsune. I'm sure he can tell you all about how Claiming works and then maybe you'll understand that this mark," Peter paused, reaching up to tug on his shirt, showing them all the scar on his neck, "Can't be faked or forced. As unbelievable as it is to all of you, someone here actually likes me… I won't even say 'I told you so' when Deaton tells you the same thing as Derek. Just come find me when you're ready for some help with Liam." The Were had faith that Deaton would back up his story. As obtuse as the veterinarian usually was, he could always be counted on to tell the truth. If they asked him about Claims, he'd tell them the same thing Derek had. Peter found it sad that his nephew's words hadn't been enough, that the fact Kira's parents accepted them still wasn't enough! They were all so prejudiced against him that they were willing to believe he'd somehow brainwashed a 900 year old Kitsune into believing his 'story' about Claims. They understood so little about the world… Their True Alpha was going to get them all killed one day, acting like he knows everything there is to know about their kind. If he had been some rival Alpha showing interest in Kira… and Scott dared to show him that kind of disrespect, all because he'd never even heard of Claiming… oooh, the precious McCall Pack would be in hot water. Why couldn't they admit that they didn't know everything, that they might be wrong? Peter was so lost in thought that he almost missed Scott's next words.

The Alpha was studying Peter closely, the way he had his arm around Kira… he could pick up the way their scents were intertwined now. He still wasn't sure about how legit this Claiming stuff was, but he couldn't deny that something had been done… Weres didn't get scars so that bite mark wasn't normal- he at least understood that much. But he wasn't just going to blindly accept his explanation about this… Peter was right about one thing though, he trusted Deaton- nothing could sway the Druid, he'd always stick to the neutral truth. "Since Derek seems to have so much trust in you… I'll let you off the hook for today, but if Deaton tells me _anything_ that implies you're trying to trick us or manipulate Kira, you're done!"

Peter chuckled lightly before suddenly throwing his back and laughing, "Oh Scott, that's so unbecoming! Don't try to play the hardass- it doesn't suit you, leave that to me and Derek. Hell, even Allison has more history of violence than you- she can make credible threats before you can.I don't need your threats anyways, I know that you're serious about protecting the Pack. What you fail to realize is that I've been doing the same thing since I came back! Why haven't I earned one of those second chances you're always so ready to hand out? Haven't I proven myself worthy?" Peter demanded to know. Scott, the True Alpha that gave out second chances, was trying to scare him? Peter wasn't afraid of death, he'd already beaten it once. Peter did find it horribly ironic though… that the one person that was actively trying to earn a second chance wasn't getting it… Deucalion was allowed to walk away- hell even Jennifer had been given a chance (before Deuc had rightfully stepped in), Gerard was allowed to live... But who actually paid for their sins? Peter! Peter had died at their hands and had come back, finally sane again and they were shunning him! The Wolf could feel the ache in his heart… feel the pain of being turned away from the Pack…

Kira looked up at Peter in surprise as he laughed, that was his response to a threat? Wasn't he scared? Not that Kira would let it come to that, she'd stand in the way, talk Scott down. She wasn't going to let it escalate to a fight; Peter didn't need that on his record, challenging Scott… Her Fox swelled with pride, sensing that Peter honestly wasn't scared of Scott. Stiles had filled her in awhile back, of all the crazy adventures they'd been on in the past few years- Scott just never seemed to lose. But even against those odds, Peter was willing to bet on his abilities. It wasn't just false bravado on his end either, nor ignorance of Scott's past successes; the Wolf really believed he had a chance against Scott. Her smile faltered though as she felt the sudden heartache coming from her Mate… He was hurting because they were rejecting him… and a lone Wolf didn't stay sane for long. She'd find a way to explain it all to them, make them see! Kira rested her head against his chest, silently promising him that they'd keep fighting until Scott saw the truth. He wasn't alone, not anymore!

Scott just scowled, gesturing for his friends to head out. Peter was just trying to trick them all- his second chance was being allowed to live in the first place. He hesitated for just a moment though, looking back at Kira as she nuzzled into Peter's chest… Had the Wolf really changed? That decision would have to wait until after he spoke with Deaton, and probably Mrs. Yukimura as well. Might as well cover all his bases, Scott learned that he could never be too careful.

Allison bent and grabbed her crossbow, still giving Peter a death glare. This wasn't over, not by a long shot- they'd get to the bottom if it one way or another. Isaac and Lydia moved to fall in line behind Scott as well, knowing that, at this point, it would only be more aggravating to stay. They were taken by surprise when Malia strode forward sudden, eyes full of purpose. Everyone stared as she stepped up to Peter… they held their breaths, hoping that she wasn't going to try and attack him… Not that any of them made any move to stop her.

"Teach me."

"Excuse me…?" Peter stared at his daughter in shock. That hadn't been what he was expected at all.

"Malia, don't," Scott warned.

But she went on to explain, ignoring Scott's words. "I want you to teach me, if you can teach Kira how to earn her Tails, then surely you can help me learn more about my powers too. A Coyote is more similar to a Wolf than a Fox… if teaching her is easy, than teaching me will be easy too, right?" Malia bit her lip… hoping that she wasn't wrong. What… what if it was just _her_ that was hard to teach? What if Peter couldn't help her, or what if he said no? He had every reason to deny her, Scott was doing his damnedest to isolate the older Were from the rest of them, even the Coyote could see that. She had been warned to stay away from him, and she could smell the dread on them that day when they told her the truth… that he was her father… At first she had been excited, figuring out that she was part of the Hale legacy (not… that she totally understood it… but she did know the Hales had power, she could sense it in the two male Weres). Then she saw the looks on everyone's faces and she realized they thought that she'd been the worst possible news ever. After that, the Coyote had locked away her curiosity about the older Were, tried to deny she wanted to learn about her powerful heritage. So she realized that Peter owed her nothing… Malia had made no attempt to get to know him, choosing to believe Stiles and Scott that he was dangerous. Surely he'd remember that and deny her… still, she was hoping… banking on the fact that he had mentioned wanting to get to know his daughter.

"M-Malia?" Stiles called out, hurt and very shocked. He thought they were making great progress!

"Stiles, you've been very helpful to me but… you aren't a Were… When you helped Scott with his shifting… it was different than what I went through, what I'm still going through. Maybe Kira was right, you and Scott have a lot of history together, I'm just a Coyote that still isn't quite sure how to be Human… Neither of you know what that feels like… I'm sorry Stiles, but I don't think you can help me in the way I need…"

"Wait, no, what about me?" Liam asked, frowning. "I don't know anything about all of this and Scott does nothing but piss me off… Peter mentioned training _me_."

"Peter isn't training you, either of you!" Scott called out. "He shouldn't even be working with Kira- Kira, why isn't your mom training you?" Surely the best teacher for her was her own mom- a fellow Kitsune. "Or I can… if you want? I don't want you working with him!"

"I can't believe it… offering to teach me instead? You know nothing- how can I expect to learn from a Wolf that didn't even know we existed until a few weeks ago? You have no ground to stand on! The only reason you care is because it's Peter… If I had chosen Derek, this conversation wouldn't even be happening right now. If you must know, I'm not training with Mom because I don't really understand her methods… Peter and I just… click. He explains it in a way that I understand. Mom is still helping me with my weapon stuff and she monitors how much time I'm spending with Peter. She understands that my Fox has made a choice and that it wasn't her so Scott, don't you dare try and tell me that I can't train with him… If she can't stop me, then neither can you, respect that."

"That's not…" Scott frowned, knowing she was right. Derek was someone that they all trusted, none of them would have had any issues if they'd found out that he was the one teaching her. But it wasn't Derek, it was Peter, didn't she know they couldn't trust him? As for his offer to train her instead… Kira was right about that too. He knew that Kitsunes had Tails… but he didn't know anything about how they learned them… "You're right, I shouldn't have offered… I don't know anything about Kitsunes… but Peter is just a Wolf too, he can't know more than your mom."

Kira stood her ground, "Peter knows about Kitsunes though _and_ he has more experience with training newbies. My mom… she's _too_ experienced, she takes for granted all the things that she knows and expects me to be on step three when I'm still on step one. My parents accept that he is my tutor in this, so you have no room to argue- my mom is perfectly alright with the way he is teaching me because she can see that Peter does in fact know what he's talking about. Trust me, if he was doing anything wrong, Mom would have stepped in and taken over. Scott, just accept it- I've chosen Peter, as my mentor as well as my Mate."

"I…" Scott looked at her again with his Alpha eyes, seeing her brilliant new aura. This was what a matured Kitsune looked like then, one that knew her power and heritage. The determined look in her eyes persuaded Scott from saying anything else. Clearly Peter did know a whole hell of a lot when it came to supernatural creatures… If Mrs. Yukimura was 100% on board with this then… he'd have to bring it up when he spoke with her. Just… to hear her say that Peter was actually a responsible teacher for a Kitsune as well as… an acceptable partner. He felt gross just thinking about that… Peter had a daughter the same age as her!

There was a silence, Scott's resolve seemed like it was cracking, so Malia spoke up again. "You said you wanted to spend time together, get to know each other right? Then train me," she offered. If she could just get him to agree then to hell with whatever Scott said! Malia still didn't understand Pack that well so she didn't feel any qualms about challenging her Alpha's decision.

Peter couldn't hold in his smirk, she was starting to seem more and more like his daughter. Training her would be fun, he could already tell. Plus he could see just how much it was pissing Scott off- that was reason enough to accept her offer. He did want to get to know her though, so of course he was going to say yes. But before he could answer, Liam butted in.

"Derek said he would teach me, you have Stiles and Scott!" This wasn't fair! He was having way more trouble than Malia! Even now, he felt his fangs growing and he couldn't rein it back in. Loud growls filled the air, and only some of them were his.

"Oh hell," Peter mumbled as Malia snarled at Liam, tackling him to the ground. This wasn't the time for a dominance battle…

"Liam!" Kira called out, making a move to step forward, but Peter stopped her.

"Don't get involved in a Were fight, too dangerous," he told her. Sure, she could just shock them both but that wouldn't diffuse the actual argument- they were fighting to establish their rank in the Pack. An older Packmate needed to break up the scuffle. As Peter went to step in he realized that, although Liam had a lot of raw power due to his anger, Malia had skill to go with her strength, an ingrained understanding of her abilities even though she was still getting used to her Human body. She was a Hale after all. Yea, better to end this now before they both got seriously hurt. He called up his Wolf, eyes glowing, letting out a quick growl-bark as he pushed his way into their heads. His sudden, stern, appearance in their heads, along with the strict bark worked as a mental nip on their ears. They jumped apart, both reacting to the mental reprimand… although they were still in their Beta shift. Peter checked on Liam first, knowing he would probably have the harder time shifting back. But as he crouched down to get a look at Liam, there was a loud twinge in his head.

"Malia?" As he turned, he registered that the Coyote was in distress. She was backing into a corner, snarling, still shifted and Stiles was walking towards her.

"Stiles, no!" He rushed forward, sliding across the floor on his knees and yanking on the boy's shirt, throwing him backwards. Malia's claws swiped the air where his throat used to be. "Dammit Stiles, she isn't in control, what were you thinking?" he yelled, shoving the teen behind him, focusing on Malia. Didn't he know that he wasn't supposed to approach a Were that felt backed into a corner (figuratively, or quite literally).

"I was just trying to help her shift back…" Stiles mumbled, hand at his throat. Malia hadn't ever come that close to hurting him before (well, he wasn't counting the full moon). He just wanted to show her that he could help! At school he'd been able to keep her from shifting a few times… But then Stiles remembered, there was a difference between holding back the shift, and shifting into a Human again. It was like fighting off a panic attack versus trying to stop one once it was in full swing…. One was a lot harder than the other.

"Rhetorical question Stiles!" Peter shot a quick, frustrated glance over his shoulder, wondering where the rest of the Pack was! He saw that Derek was shielding Lydia, the poor girl was wide-eyed at the brief scuffle; Isaac was holding back a very disgruntled Allison who looked like she didn't want to be protected, and Scott was right behind him, checking over his friend. Apparently Scott needed to work on his reflexes a little more, he had probably been too focused on Liam like the rest of them to notice Malia right away. Liam was already shifted back, Kira must have helped him. That was one good thing at least, he knew he could count on his Mate to be competent.

"Malia?" Peter asked, turning back to her. A growl met his ears, blue eyes looking at him from beneath the locks of hair covering her face. English was a no-go right now, today was really turning into a shitshow… He cupped her chin, making eye contact with his daughter; she was in conflict. A part of Malia just wanted to revert back to her full shift, the Coyote inside her fighting for dominance again. She couldn't shift back because she was in turmoil, torn between being Human and being a Coyote again.

Malia whined pitifully, stuck in her Beta shift- this was why she needed someone to teach her, someone besides Stiles! He had no idea what it felt like to be at war with herself, constantly! An Anchor didn't really help when she didn't want control half the time anyways. But then there was a presence in her head, a voiceless promise that she could learn to fully shift again, but this wasn't the right place. Malia took a few deep breaths through her nose, concentrating on Peter's eyes, realizing that he was the non-voice in her head. Was… was this what it meant to be part of a Pack? To never feel alone? The strong Wolf presence in her head helped soothe her Coyote- she wasn't alone anymore!

Derek watched as Peter communicated with Malia, barely registering that Lydia was still clinging to his shirt. It… it had been so long since he'd seen this. He remembered how Peter had done that for him, when they had gone on their run, that he and Laura were always utilizing the bond, but seeing it in action was different than feeling it. And he knew that Malia was experiencing it for the first time, the look on her face as she realized… It gave Derek hope. Peter needed to create these bonds with more of them, to show them that he really was Pack, that he wanted to be here with them! Derek knew that if he got cleared to train Liam, he'd probably bond with him too. That would be four Pack bonds, something his uncle desperately needed right now…This was what Derek had missed out on when he had changed his Betas- he hadn't had a lot of practice at starting that bond with others, only knew how to respond to one. Then he was too busy training them… didn't have time to nurture their Wolves and in turn, they abandoned him. Derek felt an ache in his chest, knowing that he'd failed so hard as an Alpha. When Isaac had lost control in the police station, he had to roar at him. He'd done it partially because that was the only way he could control him, but also because he wanted to show off to Scott and Stiles, that Alphas had power! If he had even taken a minute to try, he might have been able to help Isaac like Peter was helping Malia now… Instead he wanted to show off… And it backfired on him, his Betas seeing him atop a pedestal of power, unapproachable, and he'd never really gained their trust because of it. Then Scott thought that was the only way to rein in unruly Betas- Derek knew that he'd roared at Isaac a few times. Nothing drastic, but still in situations that could have been dealt with by using a mental bond instead, like what they were watching with Malia… Peter was a natural, always had been, especially with the younger Hales that had struggled all those years ago. Maybe, maybe this was what the others needed to see in order to welcome Peter as part of the Pack- he could even teach all the others how to create a Pack bond. If he could teach Scott, then he'd understand more of what it means to be an Alpha. He'd at least be a better Alpha than Derek…

Peter continued to fight against Malia's Coyote, pushing to be the voice of reason in her head. It helped that she wanted guidance, recognized that she was a pup and the Wolf in her head had so much more experience. Thankfully it only took a few moments for him to appease her inner Coyote, their spirits reaching an understanding. His Wolf helped to exert control over the inner Coyote, nudging her back into her dormant state for now, promising to work with her soon. He blinked then, clearing his head, seeing that Malia had shifted back. "Better?" he asked.

Malia nodded, blinking back tears at the connection she'd made with Peter… that had been amazing! "Please, you have to teach me," she whispered.

"That all depends on Scott," he answered, letting go of her chin and getting to his feet. He held out a hand, pulling her up.

"Scott… please, I… I almost hurt Stiles! The methods we have now aren't working, and Peter got me to change back without even using words… I just don't want to hurt anyone!"

The Alpha was staring, how had Peter done that? "You aren't an Alpha, how did you make her shift back? You didn't even… roar at her."

"An Alpha roar is only necessary in the absolute worst circumstances Scott, a last ditch effort when you can't get through to them with the Pack bond." Scott didn't really seem like the type that would use an Alpha roar… he didn't have the personality to truly compel anyone to do as he says. But maybe he did have enough of a roar to knock some sense into semi-controlled Isaac. And he had shocked Malia back into her Human state… maybe Scott wasn't as hopeless as Peter first thought.

"Wh-what's a Pack bond?"

And maybe he was… Peter looked at him in disbelief, "Scott, I know you're new to a lot of this but… don't tell me you already forgot what it was like to be my Beta, the connection we had?"

"You mean how you were in my head all the time, manipulating me?"

"I, well… I was trying to rein in my Beta that wanted nothing to do with me but, yea, that. Most of the time, the Pack bond is a very warm experience- it's what helps Wolves all stay connected with each other. Since Malia and I are technically in the same Pack, I can create a Pack bond with her. So I used that to help calm her down instead of yelling at her. Through the bond, I helped exert control over the Coyote, enough that Malia could shift back."

Scott narrowed his eyes, but Malia jumped to Peter's defense, realizing what the Alpha was thinking. "It wasn't in a bad way… it was nice. He didn't force me to do anything, just helped me. By being in my head… I felt what his control was like and it allowed me to calm down, to pull the Coyote back. It wasn't at all forced, unlike when you roared and made me shift back into a Human."

"I could show you," Peter offered, quickly flashing his eyes at Scott.

"No thanks, I don't want you in my head," the Alpha snapped. "But I believe Malia, and I can admit that what I just saw… it worked. I shouldn't stand in the way of my Betas, they just want to learn control. I… I am new at this whole… Alpha thing. Malia was the first Were that I met that didn't have any control whatsoever, and then I turned Liam… Okay… I do need help. But I want Derek there! He's the one that I trust- he taught Isaac, Erica, and Boyd control, he was an Alpha at one point too-"

"Scott, you don't have to worry about me trying to steal them, or turn them against you… I'm not an Alpha anymore. And I'm a part of your Pack, my allegiance lies with you. Even if I give you attitude most of the time, it doesn't mean that my Wolf doesn't stand behind yours," Peter told him. It just meant that… Scott hadn't earned his respect yet. But Peter was loyal- how often had he fought with Talia, disagreed with her methods? He never thought about leaving though, because Pack stuck together. And even if Scott had been a disobedient Beta, and Peter had lost his Alpha powers, the two of them were tied together because it was his Bite that had turned Scott. They were Pack. That was the underlying reason that Scott couldn't get rid of him… his Wolf understood that he owed Peter at least some sort of fealty, even if he was the Alpha now.

Lydia curled into Derek's side more… Peter was going to win…

"I'm going to talk with Deaton and Mrs. Yukimura… I'll make a decision after that. Like I said though, if I do allow them to train with you, I want Derek there."

"Fine, I have no problem with that." Honestly, all of them should be there, especially Scott. If he didn't want to risk losing his Betas, then he needed to train with them, bond with them. But Peter knew that, at least for the first few sessions, it was better that Scott wasn't there. He'd only get in the way, second-guess Peter's methods, and demand that he go easier. The world wasn't easy though, and he wasn't going to baby them; that didn't mean he would be cruel though. But he was sure that Scott wouldn't be able to discern the difference.

Scott offered Peter a curt nod… today hadn't gone at all like he'd expected. He couldn't deny what he had seen though, and Derek's words were echoing in his head. They'd see where this went, he'd be keeping a close eye on Malia and Liam, make sure that they weren't learning any bad habits.

"Not again…" Lydia sobbed, running out of the loft.

Before any of the others could react, Derek chased after her.

* * *

A/N: Also, I know that technically all this cuts in before Season 4 so there was no "saving Derek" from the Calaveras clan, who didn't even have him. But that kind of attitude of Scott rushing in when he thinks he has all the answers is what Derek is directly referencing when he thinks that Scott needs to learn how to keep a cool head. In the show we see Scott and Co. head into the club and fight their way through and then all of them get caught because... well they are kids going up against a family steeped in Hunter knowledge! So it wasn't really a direct insult, more of an observation XD b.c that was exactly the moment I thought of when I was writing that scene, how he messed up pretty bad in the club and they all got caught. Derek is at least well versed enough in his own failures that he can see that Scott needs to learn too.

Also... Peter is getting redemption but... he is still very sore about the fact that Scott rebelled against him and he ended up dead XD So he's a little bitter towards Scott- I can't write Peter as too OOC now can I? lmao


	12. Take a Deep Breath

A/N: Soooo, kinda a short chapter but I know I've been absent for a bit and this is what I came up with. It was a good place to stop or else it would be even longer until I got to post! Also, I'm having to do a bit of juggling here XD I wrote Lydia in the earlier chapters as scared of Peter (which, I do feel makes sense, considering their past). But also, we have Canon evidence that Lydia... isn't quite so terrified of him? Obviously she doesn't trust him but if she were terrified, there would be no way (not even with Allison as backup) that she would have gone to Peter for "lessons." So, I'm trying to merge the two sides of Lydia in this chapter and the next. So I'm sorry if the reasoning I gave for Lydia's "fear" don't quite match up to what I had put earlier... that was an oversight on my part since I wasn't thinking about how we'd seen Lydia in Canon. I was thinking from a more logical standpoint that she would have some strong PTSD concerning everything... I think I did a good job of merging the two though! I hope... Let me know! More notes at the end as well.

* * *

*Stairwell*

Lydia ran up the stairs, knowing that it didn't lead to an exit but, it was the first path that she saw. She heard the footsteps behind her and pushed faster- why couldn't they see she just wanted space! Her foot caught on one of the steps and Lydia fell forward, hands bracing to catch herself. But strong arms wrapped around her before she hit the stairs and Lydia hung her head… someone always needed to protect her…

"You're okay Lydia," Derek stated, carefully pulling her back upright.

"No I'm not! Peter should be dead- we killed him! And now he's back… he has every right to hate us for setting him on fire…" She was so afraid… just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Back then Peter had made it so clear that he didn't take disobedience well. So what was he waiting for? Lydia just wanted to be prepared for when Peter took action.

"Well, he was going around killing people, how else were we supposed to stop him?" Derek asked, slowly sitting on the stairs and pulling Lydia with him.

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Most of the time, when you kill someone, they stay dead… How can we trust that Peter isn't going to betray us all? If anyone is the type for revenge, it's Peter… And if anything deserves revenge, it's getting killed. I know you said, 'Kira wouldn't do that' but like _I_ said earlier-"

"I know," he interrupted softly. "If Kira were to fall under some sort of control, like with what happened to you, yes it would be hard for us to protect ourselves. But Kira has her Fox to help protect her from something like that. So if someone were to try and brainwash Kira, they'd have to brainwash her, and the Fox spirit. That isn't easy to do. Not that that makes you weak, for not being able to stop Peter, they are just different circumstances. And if it makes you feel better, when I uncovered the truth about the two of them, I flipped out and attacked Peter."

Lydia looked over at him in surprise, "You did?"

"I wasn't very successful," Derek admitted quietly. "He kicked my ass. But I deserved it- I accused him of forcing himself on Kira when I clearly should have known that he hadn't."

"What do you mean?" Lydia knew some stuff about Were senses but there was a lot that no one had thought to fill her in on. Really, there hadn't been time to ask questions…

"Chemo-signals, we can pick up on strong emotions, both from a person and from traces left behind if we come across the scent soon enough. When I came into the loft, it smelled like sex- the combined scents of Kira and Peter just completely threw me for a loop. But there were no signs of anything… bad; it would have reeked with pain, fear, and emotional hurt if… _that_ had happened. I just refused to believe my nose. So when Peter appeared, I accused him and he got pissed. That was when he showed me the Claim mark… And even then, I still thought Peter was being… underhanded. Noshiko showed up before we really started fighting, and that was when I learned that she knew about it all. Well… she knew that Peter was training Kira. Apparently the sex had surprised her too."

"So, Kira really did go to Peter, asking to be trained?"

Derek nodded, "Yea. And she's learning so much- I know you weren't there to see it but, that first time Liam freaked out at school, Kira is the one that saved Stiles. She saved Liam too, because if he had hurt Stiles, Scott and Malia would have probably killed him. I remember Peter from before the fire- he wasn't a standup citizen back then either but he wasn't murderous-"

"You mean to tell me he only got his blue eyes from killing his niece?" Ha, that was unlikely.

Derek's face closed up, "No, he did have his blue eyes before that. That wasn't my point though. Peter, back then, he was good with helping everyone find their Anchors. Mom was great too but she had so many responsibilities… she loved us all to bits and was there for us, don't get the wrong idea. But Peter handled a lot of the day-to-day training of the younger Pack members. And he was good at it. He always managed to find the thing that worked best for everyone. My point is that he's actually training Kira, no tricks. Both of Kira's parents are aware of the situation- they approved of him training her in secret- in fact, I think they preferred it was kept a secret, so something like this didn't happen and put stress on Kira… And while they were shocked about the sex, they approved of that part too."

"He's twice her age!"

"And as Noshiko reminded me when I said that same thing: she has 900 years to her husband's 40, your point?"

"I… Peter can't be trusted Derek, you know that! He's killed people!" Lydia argued.

"So have I. All of you seem to forget that… I even tried to kill Jackson, I thought he was too dangerous to try and save. Hell, Lydia, I had Erica and Isaac ready to hurt _you_ when we thought you were the Kanima… I wanted to kill Miss Blake too because she tried to kill Cora. Let's not forget that I'm directly responsible for getting two of my Betas killed because of my incompetence. Scott hasn't held any of that against me. And I was completely sane the entire time… Just something you should take into account…"

Lydia scowled, "Oh, so the fact that he was insane makes it all okay?"

"The fact that he lost his way and his Wolf had taken over, directly influencing his frame of mind and actions, is what you need to take into account. You don't understand what it's like to live with a Wolf, to have this extra bloodthirsty persona fighting for control. Don't judge him, or his new relationship, strictly based on Human standards. We _aren't_ Human Lydia, we live by a completely different set of rules. I know we keep throwing it in your face that you aren't a Were but that does affect your understanding of Peter's actions… I think Scott is finally starting to understand that. Like I told him the other day, revenge filled Peter's mind and while he was in that coma, he had no way to release that negative energy. And with Laura and I all the way in New York… he all but lost his Pack ties with us, he was practically a Rogue when he woke up. Which, is partially our fault, we didn't think he'd ever wake up- we didn't know that he could still feel our bond… or when we let those bonds drift apart…. A rogue Wolf is dangerous- that was the Peter we all fought beforehand, that was the Peter that… controlled you, a rogue, out-of-control Alpha. Before Kira accepted him, he was on the verge of becoming one again too. Lydia, Kira saved us, saved Peter. And if we turn him away now, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves when he turns into a Rogue a second time. But if we just accept him as Pack… he'll have no reason to betray us. Peter fully accepts his death as punishment for his previous actions and just wants us all to start over… he has no reason to get revenge for that."

"So, what, am I just supposed to forgive him? I... can't…" She knew that Peter didn't like being under Scott… it was evident in his tone- and not just his usual "Peter" tone either. She didn't think the others were really aware of it but, she could hear it. She was more intimate of Peter's ways than any of the others after all… He was resentful that his Beta had become a True Alpha. But was he angry enough to want to cause problems... or was Derek right? Peter wasn't above petty revenges and there were still plenty of things he could do to get back at Scott without actually hurting any of them. But if he really didn't hate them for killing him… No, Lydia refused to believe that Peter would just accept being Scott's Beta…

Derek sighed… of course Lydia wouldn't just be able to forgive Peter, to ask that of her was impossible. But… something needed to happen… "I think that's a conversation you need to have with Peter-"

"What?!"

Derek held up a hand, "Take it from someone that's had plenty of his own issues with Peter, you need to clear the air. For your own mental health; yell at him, curse him, hell he might even let you slap him. Let all of those negative feelings out instead of holding them all inside. Don't become like me Lydia, you're too good for that."

"What would you know…" Lydia mumbled. She was just being petulant at this point and she knew it… but that was how strong her thoughts were about the untrustworthy Wolf.

"I know because it's what I did. I don't think you know how much baggage there is between me and my uncle. I mean… things aren't perfect between us but they are a lot better. The other night we worked it out; we went out in the woods and kicked the crap out of each other before I finally just got the question off my chest… I asked why he killed Laura. He told me the truth, he repented… It helped us move past it- I still haven't forgiven him, but I trust him to watch my back again. As… as a Wolf, there is a distinction- it's not unlike when you're friends with someone that you don't really trust. They aren't all bad and you see them every day so you're friends, but you wouldn't tell them anything important. It's just like that only… on a much more intimate scale because it's with Pack ties. It's perfectly acceptable that I trust Peter as a Packmate but that I generally dislike him as a person because he betrayed me. And because of that Pack bond we have, I can feel that he's being sincere about this… I can feel the difference in him. It's nothing like back when he was the Alpha, he's different Lydia.

"Hell, it can't be that bad of an idea if Scott is finally relenting and willing to give him a shot… You've trusted Scott to get you through everything before, continue to trust him now. He may not have a lot of experience as an Alpha, but he's not totally dumb either. So trust that Scott's Wolf-senses are working and that Peter just might be acceptable as Pack. And I promise you, Kira hasn't been tricked in anyway; her mom is keeping a close eye on her as an experienced Kitsune to make sure she doesn't take a turn down the wrong path. Her feelings for him, as strange as the rest of us may feel about them, are all her own. Will Peter always be a jerk, of course, but he doesn't have any ulterior motives, he just wants to be accepted." Derek paused there, trying to gauge Lydia's reaction. But all he got off her was that she was extremely upset… "I'm not trying to say that your anger, your distrust- those feelings are all still valid. I don't want you to think I'm telling you to just forget everything in the past, you're allowed to hurt still. But the longer you hold all this in…"

"Yea, yea, all the therapists told me the same thing. Repressing stuff is bad- but I'm not repressing anything! I've come to terms with what happened, Peter just makes me… nervous. But… I get it… Peter's going to be sticking around,… and I have to get used to it…" It just set her on edge and she couldn't explain it. Everyone thought she was scared of Peter because of what he'd done. But that wasn't it. She was scared of what he _could_ do to them, terrified that the next time she'd see him, he'd have red eyes again. She had firsthand experience… she knew exactly how much power Peter had while the others constantly seemed to forget. But not only that… she knew how cunning, how calculating, Peter could be. If he came into power again- she closed her eyes, not wanting to think of the possibility of being at his mercy like before.

The sudden pang of distress that came off Lydia surprised him. "Lydia… he- he hasn't done anything to you right? Since he's come back?!"

"No, he hasn't," Lydia admitted, wiping her eyes. "I just don't understand… it's so hard to see Liam, Malia, and Kira have this good relationship with him when I only remember this horrible experience." In all honesty, she'd gotten past the worst of it. She'd had nightmares for months, didn't feel right in her own skin. Her mom had sent her to a few different therapists, but that didn't help since Lydia couldn't tell them the truth about what happened. It was through the help of all her friends, and her mother, that she moved past the trauma… but she was still very pissed and very emotional. Honestly, she'd been doing okay- that's why she'd gone to him, taking him up on his offer to help with her Banshee powers. Allison had been more worked up about it than she was (although with good reason). If the thought of being close to Peter upset her that much, she would have turned down his offer, but the pros outweighed the cons. The fear came from knowing that she had to trust Peter... knowing that he _had_ helped her figure something out… That if she wanted to learn more, she'd have to be at his mercy again. That was where she felt uncomfortable, otherwise Lydia could handle being in the same room with him if the situation called for it. That and the thought of Peter worming his way into Kira's heart just to hurt them all, that upset her too. She wanted to just hate Peter and never see him again! Life apparently had different plans, and now here he was, offering to train Liam and Malia, on top of Kira. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew, deep down, that Peter was indeed that spark that awakened Lydia's power. She was just scared to get close to him- not that Allison would let her either… It was just safer for Lydia to keep her distance from him, because she didn't want to owe him anything! But if what Derek was saying was true… that Peter really was different from before… could she bring herself to trust him? She stood suddenly, needing to get out of here, she just needed space to think! She quietly thanked Derek and hurried back into the loft to get Allison.

*Loft*

Peter sighed to himself, he… he should have expected that. Lydia… of course she didn't want him to be a part of the Pack… Did, was he… should he talk to her about it? That first time she'd seen him, after he'd come back… it had been really awkward. How could he possibly apologize for what he'd put her through? He only vaguely recalled it himself, he got the basics and knew that his… 'ghost' self had been just as unpleasant as his Alpha self had been. But he knew that Lydia could probably recall every interaction with such clarity. He thought he was doing the right thing by giving her space to heal, by not forcing his presence on her more than was necessary. And when she'd come to see him about her Banshee powers, he'd be really surprised. Of course that was why he'd gone to her mother about it, he didn't dare approach Lydia herself- no one in the Pack would have let him. But he wanted her to know that he could at least help her, if she wanted it. Peter still groaned internally as he remembered how much of a disaster it had been. He didn't know Allison was going to be there! Looking back, it should have been obvious, and he shouldn't have let her get to him so easily but… nothing he could do about it now.

"I'm going to go ahead and excuse us now, probably be easier for Lydia that way… I appreciate that you're willing to give me a chance Scott. I know we've had our differences but I really do just want to help," Peter said, holding a hand out to Kira. He nodded to Liam, letting him know that he was okay even though he'd lost control and ended up fighting with Malia. It happened.

"We're going to go talk to Mom now?" Kira asked. Would her parents be okay with her staying at Peter's apartment? When he nodded in response, Kira smiled and ran over to him, foregoing the outstretched hand to jump on his back. "I'm sure she'll say it's okay!"

Peter chuckled and tucked his arms under her knees, carrying her out of the apartment, ignoring the stares from everyone else. It was probably weird for them to see him act so… juvenile, but Kira was a teenager, of course she liked to be carried around by her significant other. He wouldn't deny her that just because he was older and the Pack was watching. Hell, if anything, maybe it would help them understand that he was genuinely into the Kitsune.

Scott just watched them leave, chest constricting as he recalled how Allison had done that same thing with him when they had skipped school on her birthday. That definitely wasn't the action of a girl that was being controlled.

"I still don't trust him," Allison stated as soon as they were out of sight.

"To be fair… Derek didn't trust Lydia for awhile after she 'helped' Peter resurrect himself, and it took us awhile to be okay around each other," Isaac reminded her. It was natural that they were suspicious… but, that didn't mean that they couldn't move past it, maybe.

"That was different…"

"Was it though?" Stiles asked. He recalled how he'd gotten Derek arrested and had just in general been a thorn in his side those first few months… God he thought Derek would just always hate him (and there were some days where he was certain that the Wolf still did), but for the most part they were friendly now. As friendly as he could be with the stoic Were. But he owed Peter his life, and as much as he hated to admit it, he might have to at least give Peter the benefit of the doubt this time. Derek's points had all been spot on- Peter had done so much to help them in the months he'd been back. And no sign of any funny business… at least as far as he could tell. Peter was very sneaky though, who knew what he might really be thinking.

"I don't understand the issue…" Malia said. She was curled up under Stiles's arm, silently apologizing for earlier. A part of her recognized that this probably wasn't really the time to ask but she couldn't hold it in. "I know that Peter somehow controlled Lydia, and that he killed Allison's aunt but-"

"He killed a lot of people, not just my aunt," Allison corrected.

"He's killed a lot of people but… that was all before he died, right?" Everyone in the room nodded. Technically he'd helped them attack Jackson, as the Kanima, but Derek was the driving force behind that, not Peter. Malia looked up at Stiles, "How come it's okay to forgive what I did as a coyote but… we are still judging Peter for things that happened when he was crazy?"

"Yea, I'm having trouble with that too," Liam said, shyly coming in closer to the group. "I get that killing people is bad but, I think paying for it with your own life is kinda a big price. Sure, he came back, which I still don't even understand! But, the Peter I just met seems like an okay guy- he's offered to teach me and Malia… what's wrong with that?"

"Yea, and Derek gave us plenty of examples of how he's been useful to us…" Malia added on.

Isaac smirked and crossed his arms, "She has a point you know… She might not understand Pack that much but even she understands that Peter deserves another chance."

"Isaac, I can't believe you're saying that!" Allison cried out.

"I know you hate him, but I'm still right," Isaac told her. He tried to look at least slightly apologetic… "It isn't like things have been that easy, for any of us. We've all had to come to terms with stuff. I'm not saying revenge murder is okay but, Kate did kill like 8 people in that fire- including kids. He had a reason to be mad at her. And your m-" he cut himself off; talking bad about Kate was one thing but Victoria…

"You can say it. My mom tried to kill Scott which in turn made Derek attack her, which… resulted in a Bite that she thought she had to kill herself over," Allison said for him, looking down at the ground. "And all that made me vulnerable to Gerard… I ended up hurting Boyd, Erica, and you. Yea, I know, we've all done some crappy things but… he's the only one that gives me the creeps."

"Let's just… give him a chance, he'll either be a good teacher for them… or he'll mess up and we can get rid of him once and for all," Scott told them. Derek was going to be there, he trusted Derek to tell him if Peter was up to something. But Scott was at least going to be honest, he did need help with all this and if Peter could help get Liam under control, then so be it. He just didn't want Liam, or Malia, to hurt anyone, that was more important than his pride.

"Allison, I'm ready to go," Lydia said, reappearing in the loft. Thankfully Peter had already left, that cut down some of her embarrassment.

"Alright, yea, I think all of us are," Allison nodded. She gave a quick wave to the group and on her way out, whispered to Derek, "You better watch him."

*Peter's Apartment, Later*

"See, no big deal," Peter grinned, holding Kira close. The conversation with her parents only took a few minutes, both of them understanding that they wanted to be close. Of course there were the usual stipulations of 'this won't become a regular thing' and 'no being late to school' but those weren't big deals. Peter knew he needed to be responsible with Kira.

"Yea, yea," she commented, nuzzling into his chest. "I get to stay with you tonight- I… wow."

"What?"

"I never thought… I mean, most parents don't let their kids stay over at a significant other's home. Like if I was Human and just dating Scott, another Human- never in a million years! I know that a big part of it _is_ because neither of us are Human but still, it's just so mind boggling."

"Hmm, I've never really thought about it but then again, I grew up in a large Were family. Generally speaking we weren't allowed to Claim at a young age unless the bond was that strong, and never without permission but-"

"So you had to actively tell your parents that you were ready for sex, and Claiming?" Kira interrupted.

Peter laughed, "Things are a lot harder to hide to a Were's nose, and ears for that matter. We all learned from a young age that sex was a natural thing, we also learned how to give people a semblance of privacy. So the conversation wasn't as awkward as you'd think. So when one of us found a relationship that was serious like that, it was normal for the couple to want to be close all the time. It was allowed that they spent the night, since no one was stupid enough to have sex when the whole house could hear."

"True, that would just be super awkward."

"So, now that we actually have to okay to be together tonight, what do you want to do?" he asked, rubbing her back.

"I'm quite comfortable like this," Kira mumbled.

"It's only 5 o'clock! You can't seriously be thinking of going to sleep…"

Kira laughed, "I never said sleep, I am going to want dinner. Just, that I'm quite comfortable…"

"How about we work on your Tail then?"

"Right now?" she groaned.

"There isn't much work involved, you're still getting the hang of giving your orbs instructions. It's better than learning hand-to-hand combat and we don't have your katana so we can't practice summoning," Peter reasoned. "And last time, we didn't work on it very long."

Kira flushed but smiled warmly at the memory, "I did ask you for help with my Tails. Alright, we'll spend time learning before dinner."

"Good, go ahead and make some orbs then," the Were instructed, shifting them so Kira was sitting in his lap as he rested against the headboard. He waited until there were three orbs floating around the room. "Okay, what I want you to make them do is just, appear, fly over and touch the far wall, then float back to you and disappear."

Kira repeated the idea a few times, fully controlling her orbs first, just so she could visualize what she wanted them to do. Then she dismissed them and created three new orbs, this time concentrating on the instructions part. Once they materialized, she cleared her mind, knowing that she couldn't focus on them or it would defeat the purpose. "How do I watch them… without influencing them?"

"Maybe start by not looking, I'll let you know if they do what they are supposed to. That way, you'll have confidence that you can do it and when you watch them, you won't think you're subtly influencing them," Peter offered. He reached up and covered her eyes with one hand, his other rubbing small circles on her thigh; he made sure that she was thoroughly distracted and not paying attention to the orbs at all. And yet they did continue on their journey towards the wall- they were slow, but it was movement. As they completed their job and disappeared, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Good job."

"I did it?"

"Yea, they did exactly what they were supposed to and disappeared."

Kira pulled his hand away from her eyes and looked around the room, needing to see for herself. She could do this! Excitedly, she closed her eyes and called forth more orbs, repeating the same instructions as before. They repeated this until Kira was finally confident enough to actually watch her work, knowing that she wasn't interfering with their path.

"What's the next step? I mean, I'm sure I won't master it tonight, I'm getting hungry but, I'm curious."

"We need to concentrate your power, condense it. Once it's super condensed, it should just… evolve."

"How… how do I condense my power? I can… turn it up or down but I know that isn't quite what you mean…"

Peter smiled at her, "Well explain yourself, how do you turn it 'up' and 'down'?"

"Like I said, I made my orbs super small, limiting their power output so I wouldn't hurt anyone. Then I practiced with bigger orbs, worked on making them have less power even though they were bigger in size."

"What you just described could be classified as diluting its power. A standard orb naturally forms with so much power right?" he asked.

"Yea, and I produced smaller orbs to have less than standard power." Kira paused, following his logic, "Then I worked on producing large orbs with little power. That's diluting… So concentrating would be packing a lot of power into a small orb?"

"Exactly. What you need to do is make a small orb that produces at least the same amount of power as a standard orb. Why don't you get started on that and I'll get started on dinner."

"You cook?"

Peter lightly tugged on her hair and scoffed, "I'm offended. I'm a grown man living on my own, of course I can cook. How does chicken Marsala sound?"

"I have no idea what that is but please make it. I'm sure it will be good. Can I, um, sit in the kitchen with you?" she asked. If she was left sitting in the bedroom all alone, she'd feel weird.

"Yea of course, come on." He lifted her up and scooted off the bed, setting her on her feet before leading the way.

Kira sat at the small dining table and watched him gather up all the ingredients before sighing and getting to work. Her FoxFire was getting real easy to control now, it was almost second nature and she'd barely even practiced with it… If she spent time honing that skill… Hell, in most circumstances, she probably wouldn't even need her other Tails in order to beat an opponent. But of course she was still going to work on them- she wanted to be 100 percent certain that she could protect her friends in the future! So slowly, she worked on packing the orb down smaller, while maintaining its output. It wasn't easy… diluting the power had been much simpler… But this is what she needed to do in order to earn her next Tail. Kira wouldn't give up, period.

* * *

A/N: So yea Lydia isn't scared of Peter in the sense that she has PTSD (although by rights she should, in the show, she doesn't have it so... I have to work with a bit of what they give me XD ) Instead, she's just worried about what could happen but also, about what it really means to trust him. With all that in mind now, Lydia is going through a bit of a transformation back into her "stronger" self that we saw during Season 3B vs how I wrote her more like her "unsure" Season 2 self in the earlier chapters. Of course she is still wary of him, she's concerned about the what-ifs but isn't terrified of him strictly because he... brainwashed her... XD One of the dangers of working of posting fics as I write folks! I flesh out my characters more and then decide to make changes on them XD If I just wrote it all and then posted it all at once, I would have fixed Lydia's characterization mistake... . SORRY!

Also, I've been trying to work on my original stories AND a new game came out (Stardew Valley!) and I've been playing that SO MUCH! Sooo... it's kinda hampered my writing. I'm sorry :( but here's a new chapter!


	13. Malia's First Session

A/N: I know it's been forever! I'm sorry D: I got really busy IRL, I was helping my cousin with one of her classes, so I was spending a lot of time tutoring and that left very little time for writing... BUT I'm back, summer is here and I don't have anything else taking up my time heehee. So back to Kira and the others, learning about their abilities! And of course Peter/Kira ;) although I know some of you are reading this mostly for Kira and not the pairing lol, that's fine. Hope you enjoy this chapter and the next chapter shouldn't be nearly as far away in the future!

* * *

*Wednesday*

Kira groaned as the alarm went off, was it morning already? She turned away from the noise and snuggled into the warm body next to her, taking a moment before her brain registered her companion. That was right, she had stayed with Peter last night! As she registered this fact, Kira snuggled into his chest more, smiling as his arms wrapped around her a bit tighter.

"Are you going to turn that off?" he mumbled.

"No… because if I turn it off, I'll fall back asleep and then I'll miss school. But I also don't want to roll over and acknowledge that it's time to get up," Kira admitted. But she did turn over and grab her phone, turning off the alarm. "I didn't even grab my shower stuff… I mean I got my toothbrush but I didn't think to grab my shampoo or anything…"

Peter grinned, "You can just use mine. Then you'd smell clean but still like me."

"Mmm, smart idea," the Fox agreed as she sat up. "Even better idea, you come with me and help me get clean."

"Did you really think that I wasn't already planning to do that?" Peter smirked. He sat up and stretched, rolling out of bed and grabbing Kira as he went. "What about breakfast, what do you normally have?"

"Um usually just like toast and cereal… I'm not a huge fan of breakfast food. But like, I know better than to go to school without eating anything."

"Both are things I can do," he assured her as he turned on the shower, letting it warm up.

"You're already spoiling me," Kira laughed.

"What, how? By getting you cereal and toast for breakfast? That's hardly unobtainable…"

"Well, not just that…" she explained as she undressed. "You talked to my parents for me, paved the way for me staying overnight… You made a delicious dinner… Now you're showering with me and breakfast too? I know breakfast isn't like, hard but, I don't know… all of this on top of teaching me stuff?"

"I'm older, I can afford to provide you with these things. If I were your age, I wouldn't have a place of my own for us to stay at, which would be a huge setback. I'd have to convince your parents as well as my own. I'd be seen as much less responsible too, I hardly think I would've succeeded in convincing your parents into letting you stay. Same with teaching you, if I was your age, I wouldn't have as much… hands-on knowledge as I do now. It would only be family knowledge and I'd be no better at teaching you than Scott… okay, maybe a bit better but not by much." Peter followed her into the shower, closing the glass door behind him. He pressed in close to her smaller body, taking a moment to run his hands over her bare skin. He smiled as she sighed and leaned into his touch. "You wash your hair, I can wash the rest of you," he commented, leaning down to kiss her neck.

Kira slowly nodded her head, heart racing at the thought of such an intimate moment. She stood there for a moment as he started in with the body wash. The fact that it was his body wash made the scent marking even more intense; it wasn't just Peter's hands roaming her body, leaving a light scent, instead it was the stronger scent of his bathroom products. Something that would last through the day. Eventually though she opened the bottle of shampoo and started in on her hair, letting Peter move her around so she could get clean.

Peter felt a calmness settle over him as he washed her off, happy to just have this closeness with someone. It wasn't even the naked aspect of it, he just loved that they could do intimate stuff like this together. And it was a big weight off his chest that the whole Pack knew now… it hadn't gone according to plan but now he didn't have to worry about looking over his shoulder for an angry Alpha, and he didn't want to worry about Kira stressing herself out over keeping the secret. Since she was still in high school though, they'd have to be careful, if anyone outside of the Pack found out, there would be trouble. He hugged Kira close after she rinsed out her hair, kissing her shoulders.

"You okay? You seem so… serious. I thought showering together was supposed to be fun?" Kira teased lightly.

"I'm just thinking about how lucky we are that things settled down. I'm sure the Pack doesn't really understand but, I do feel like they are at least trying to be open-minded about it. And as much as I would love to have that kind of fun, let's try to get you to school on time," Peter laughed.

"Ugh, right, school. But… I like being here with you… Do you think maybe my parents would be okay with us doing this again? I don't want this to be a one-time thing until I turn 18."

"It can't hurt to ask but let's wait a few days so they at least think we have some self control. Time for breakfast though." He turned off the water and slid open the glass door, lightly smacking her ass as she stepped out. So, maybe he couldn't help himself. "I don't actually have a blow dryer since I have no real need for one, so you might have wet hair for today…"

"No, I brought mine," she commented, wrapping herself in a towel before heading back into the bedroom.

Peter followed her, "So, you remembered to bring a hair dryer but not shampoo?"

"It was in the drawer with my toothbrush so I saw it, I never looked in my actual shower for body wash or anything though. Don't judge me."

Peter laughed as he toweled off, throwing on some clothes and heading into the kitchen to scrounge up food.

Kira smiled to herself as she took her stuff back into the bathroom, thinking of the future and how one day, maybe she'd just have some of her stuff here. That way she wouldn't even have to pack a bag before coming over, wouldn't that just be awesome? Thoughts of the possibilities filled her mind as she finished getting ready for school. By the time she went out to the kitchen, Peter was just finishing up with some toast.

"Ah, perfect timing, I wasn't sure if you were a butter or jam person, and I went with lightly toasted."

"Butter is fine, I mean, I do jam sometimes but not all the time, only when I'm in the mood for something sweet."

Peter nodded and spread some butter over her slices of toast, "I'm pretty much the same way, just eat what I'm craving. No need for the same routine everyday if your taste buds want something different."

The two of them sat down and started to eat, Kira casually making some of her electric orbs dance around the room. She knew that she couldn't really practice during school, mostly because it would be too noticeable and her secret was sure to get out, but also because that would mean she wasn't paying attention and her grades would slip. But she just wanted to get a bit more practice in before school! This time though, she started with already small orbs with low power and was trying to increase their power without messing with their size.

"Finish your breakfast," Peter nudged all of a sudden, breaking her concentration.

The orb expanded suddenly before just fizzling out of existence. "Wha? Oh, right, food."

"Yea, we're going to have to leave soon."

Kira nodded and finished her meal, repeating, again, that she'd need to pay attention in class.

*School*

"I'll text you later, I think Mom wants to work on training after school today," Kira told Peter as she climbed out of his car. It was nice to get dropped off by him, hell, it had been nice to wake up in his arms! Peter had been right, by spending time together last night, Kira felt so much closer to him already, their bond strengthened. It would definitely help her get through today… facing the rest of the Pack was probably going to be a little awkward… Especially since she totally smelled like him (but at least she didn't reek of sex! That was a plus). She'd get through it though.

"Let me know if anyone gives you trouble."

"I will, bye."

Peter waved before driving off, it only felt a little weird to be dropping his Mate off at school… high school. Not much he could do about that though, and it wouldn't be much longer before she graduated anyways. It was probably a good thing that Kira would be busy after school though, if his guesses about Malia were correct, she'd contact him, wanting to train as soon as possible. And it would be best that their first session was one-on-one; Malia wouldn't have to feel self conscious that way. As his thoughts wandered back to Kira, he hoped that the others wouldn't give her too much hassle about yesterday.

Kira hurried into the school, heading straight for her locker, heart sinking when she saw Allison and Lydia already there. But she wasn't going to purposefully avoid them, that would be childish- plus she had nothing to be ashamed of! She was just hoping a conversation wouldn't be happening quite so soon. "Hi guys," she called out as she got closer.

"Hey Kira," Lydia replied back, doing her best to act nonchalant. But of course Allison jumped straight to the point.

"You aren't mad at us right?" the brunette asked.

The Kitsune paused, "Wait, mad?" Definitely not the direction she'd thought this conversation would be going right off the bat.

"We did kind of insinuate that your boyfriend is a creeper-Wolf and that he was up to no good…"

"Right… I mean, I was a little riled up yesterday, at the loft… hearing you guys say that about him and just, seeing everyone act so hostile towards him. But I know that Peter's past is, troubling to say the least; I do understand that. That was why Peter and I wanted to keep it secret, at least for a little while longer, until we knew how to break the news to everyone," Kira told them as she grabbed a few books from her locker.

"Yea, that was… maybe an overreaction on my part," Lydia whispered, looking over Kira's shoulder. She didn't feel like it was an overreaction at all but she liked Kira and wanted things to be okay between them. They weren't going to be like the boys and awkwardly dance around the 'I'm sorry's', both her and Allison wanted to clear the air.

Kira knew she was lying though, "It wasn't an overreaction at all, I know you don't think that. You were concerned about me and you had absolutely no proof that Peter _wasn't_ being shady. There is no reason to get mad at the fact that you were just trying to protect me. I am sorry though… about what I said… I didn't mean to make it sound like, you had purposefully worked with Peter, back then. I was just mad that everyone was ignoring me and talking about how I wasn't in control of myself when I knew for a fact that I was. I know it upset you."

"Yea… well, the memories of it upset me, I know that you didn't mean anything by it. You weren't even around to see what it was like, so of course you didn't realize how it sounded. And I was just… very upset over the whole thing so I reacted out of defense." Lydia sighed, maybe Derek was right, and she needed to have words with him. "Just as long as we're all still friends?"

"Of course, nothing awful happened yesterday. There was some yelling but I mean… we're all still Pack, no hard feelings. But please… don't feel obligated to… be friends with him, I know things are probably really awkward… just don't totally hate him?" Kira asked.

Allison shrugged, "I generally try to avoid him as much as possible so it shouldn't be a problem to just continue to not interact with him. And I'll do my best to not… trash talk him. Scott did say we need to give him a chance to prove that he really does want to be different."

"You're right, things are going to be weird for a long time but… it will all figure itself out."

"I'll do my best not to gush about him all the time," Kira offered. She felt better, knowing that it was all out in the open now. It was going to be a little hard for her to not just, tell them everything like she normally would have but… well she did manage to keep it a secret before, surely she could rein herself in now.

The girls all laughed and hugged before going their separate ways. Kira smiled to herself, relieved- that wasn't so bad at all! If Allison and Lydia were able to openly talk to her about yesterday, then the rest of the Pack should be just as easy. She hurried to her first period, running into Malia as they both walked into class.

"Oh, hey, um, Stiles and Scott didn't give you too much grief about training with Peter right?" Kira asked as they both sat down.

"Well, Stiles seemed a bit upset still but that's not going to stop me. I'm doing this to protect him," Malia stated, lightly clenching one of her fists as she recalled how close she came to hurting him yesterday. It hadn't even been the full moon!

"So, you're not… nervous at all? I mean, I'm sure they've told you all the stories about Peter as well."

The Coyote just shrugged, "That's in the past and has no bearing at all on my training. He has no reason to kill me since I had nothing to do with the fire. He… when he made a bond with me… I… I finally felt like I belonged here, with the Pack. Before it was just Stiles and I tolerated the rest of you."

"Well yea, coyotes are solitary creatures, so it's not really surprising that you bonded with Stiles but still adjusting to everyone else." Under different circumstances, Kira might have been offended by her callous attitude but she knew that Malia was just stating a fact. To her, Pack was something new- hell, making friends was something new to her still… Of course she didn't understand the intricacies of being in a Pack, Kira was still adjusting herself. The only reason she had a better grasp on the whole thing was because she hadn't been stuck as a coyote for 8 years.

"Exactly! You understand! Self preservation has always come first for me but Stiles is also important to me as well… he… we connected while we were in Eichen together. Otherwise, wolves still make me nervous, especially Weres. But Peter showed me what it felt like to be a part of a Pack and I think I can do this. I mean, you've come a long way, so I know he's a good teacher."

Kira smiled and nodded her head, pulling out her notebook as class got started. If only Malia was more… of a teenager. Would it be okay to talk to her about Peter? She wasn't like Allison and Lydia, she didn't have this huge mistrust of him, or these bad experiences with him… Besides, she and Stiles… did stuff together. But Malia didn't talk about it, so would she feel weird if Kira shared stuff? Besides, even if they barely knew each other as family… Peter was Malia's dad… it would probably be super awkward. She didn't have time to dwell on it though, Coach usually talked fast and Malia was probably going to ask her for the notes.

Class passed by in a blur, Kira barely managing to follow along with what Coach was describing, how could he expect Malia to pass? It wasn't like Kira could really tutor her on the subject when she was having a hard time following along too. Maybe, with Peter taking over Malia's lessons, Stiles would have more time to focus on being her school tutor instead of her Were tutor! That could work out! Kira was startled out of her thoughts as Malia nudged her on the way out the door.

"Does Peter text? Can I have his number, I want to figure out how my lessons are going to work," the Coyote asked.

Kira smiled, Malia must be excited for this since she generally disliked initiating conversation, probably due to all that time she spent alone. "Yea, um here," she grabbed Malia's phone and programmed his number in, "And yes, he knows how to text."

"Thanks." Just like that, Malia was walking away, heading to her next class, phone in hand.

Kira pulled her phone out too, asking her mom a question.

*Loft*

"So, in your opinion, since we didn't get a chance to talk yesterday, how do you think things went?" Peter asked.

"Which part? Lydia ran out of the loft and Scott was ready to disown you… Malia got into a fight with Liam and almost hurt Stiles…"

"Wow, such a pessimist…"

Derek glared at his uncle, "Realist."

"Okay, none of those things are new though… Lydia has never wanted to be in a room with me, Scott has wanted to be rid of me for a long time now, and Malia has fought with Liam before. As for the hurting Stiles, that's his own damn fault, which again, is nothing new. So besides all that…"

"I… I think it went okay. I was busy with Lydia so I didn't hear what was said in the loft but things didn't feel as tense when I came back down. I didn't hear any yelling so I mean, they were at least discussing things calmly."

"Yea, although calmly doesn't necessarily mean rationally," Peter mused. "But, if Malia wants me to teach her, Scott can't really say no, can he."

"He could, he's the Alpha. A better question is, would Malia listen to him? If he knows that Malia is having such a hard time he might try to teach her instead."

Peter shrugged, "Only if he changed his mind, he did offer to give me a chance, and considering that he never kicked me out of the Pack, that means Deaton and the Yukimuras backed my side of things. So I'm thinking I at least have a chance to meet with them and train them."

"Yea, and Scott wants me there for that…"

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Peter suggested with a grin.

"Peter, I thought you were trying to show Scott that you'd changed. Trying to convince me to skip out on babysitting the training isn't going to make him trust you," Derek chastised.

"I was just saying. You don't have to be there if you're busy or something. Malia and I would get by without you and I don't think she'd tattle to Scott about your absence." Really, it's not like he was planning on hurting her or anything.

"No, she wouldn't, but Scott is bound to ask and I don't think her lying skills are that great," Derek countered.

"True enough. But, back to her lessons… I know she can't drive so, where should we meet? I can't just go pick her up, I'm sure that would come across as… too much," Peter confessed, knowing full well how most of the teenagers thought of him.

"Do you even have her number?"

"Well, no… I've barely said a few sentences to her, I never had the time to ask," Peter admitted dryly. Sure, he could've grabbed it when he went through Stiles phone this last time but, he figured stealing Malia's number wasn't the right way to start their bonding.

Derek nodded, "How about I send her yours, then she can decide when to make contact."

"Oh, yea, that-" Peter was interrupted when his phone went off. As he dug it out of his pocket he frowned, "I swear if they already cornered Kira and upset her, I… oh…"

 _Where did you want to meet?_

"Oh what? It isn't Liam right?" Derek groaned.

"No… it's from Malia. Well I'm assuming it's Malia… she didn't put her name."

"Kira must have given it to her, or she bullied Stiles into telling her. Okay, that works then." Really, Derek shouldn't have been surprised, and now that he thought about it, he was shocked Malia hadn't managed to get a hold of Peter last night. She was definitely interested in learning, so she would have wanted to seek him out as soon as possible.

Peter nodded, "Guess that just leaves setting up a meeting…"

 _How about at the old Hale house, do you know where that is?_

 _Yea, I used to go there as a coyote sometimes. I'll be there after school._

 _Need a ride?_

 _No_

"Well, I'm not sure how she's going to get there but… she doesn't want a ride…" Peter mumbled.

"She'll probably run," Derek guessed.

Peter nodded in agreement. Well, that answered that, after school he'd be training with his daughter. If he was religious, he might've actually said a prayer, hoping that this didn't end in complete disaster…

*School, lunch*

"Hey, Malia, did you get a hold of Peter?" Kira asked, clearing her throat and looking towards Scott and the others a few tables away. She knew that they were listening in, there was no way they weren't.

"Yea, we're meeting at the old house in the woods. Why?"

"Well, I talked with Mom and I got out of training with her today…"

"Why?" Malia asked. Peter was going to be busy training her today, so why wouldn't Kira do more weapon training with her mom?

"I know that you probably want to do this on your own but, I figured maybe I could be there as emotional support?" Kira suggested, smiling hopefully. She knew that Malia wasn't the best at making friends but the two of them were the newbies of the Pack (excluding Liam), they were outsiders to the strong friendships the rest of the Pack already had. So, the two of them stuck together more times than not at Pack events, not sure how to close the gap between them and the others. Kira wasn't a Wolf, and Malia had no reason to be afraid of a Fox, even one that could wield lightning, so when Malia wasn't with Stiles, she was with Kira… or on her own in the woods of course. Plus Kira was the most patient out of the girls, so she was usually stuck explaining schoolwork to her and stuff during lacrosse practice. Surely if Malia would allow anyone to be there, it would be her. "Besides, my mom can drive us, that way you don't have to walk all the way there, sound good?"

Malia chewed on her food while she thought it over… The Coyote might not want to admit it but, she didn't know Derek or Peter that well, and both of them were Wolves, they'd set her 'smaller', inner Coyote on edge, just a bit. Scott still did even though Malia knew that he wasn't really going to hurt her but… he had a lot of power as an Alpha and she was still adjusting to interacting with Wolves. Having a friend with her might help. Besides Stiles, Kira was really the only one she felt comfortable calling a friend. Isaac she didn't know that well, Allison… Allison was nice but she was a Hunter and Malia could sense that she was always on edge around Malia because of her lack of control. So of course that put a strain on their interactions. And Lydia was Lydia. "Sure, you can come if you want, I know you won't make me feel nervous or anything, not like if the others went. I just hope… I can focus with Derek being there. Do you think that… I know Scott told Derek he had to be there but…"

"Did Peter say that Derek was too busy to come to the training session?" Allison asked all of a sudden, dropping down across from them. Lydia joined them as well, startling the two girls.

"No, he didn't say anything about it…" Malia hedged. How much had they heard? They weren't going to try to come too right? She didn't want them there…

"Oh, I just heard you talking about Derek as we walked over, and how Scott wanted him to be there. I thought it just meant that Derek had plans and couldn't make it. Which would mean you'd have to postpone, Scott doesn't want you alone with Peter," Allison told her.

Malia curled her lip a bit but managed to not growl, reminding herself that Allison had more history with Peter, was just more distrustful. It wasn't like she was trying to sabotage Malia's training, she just wanted to follow Scott's rules.

"Um, what made you decide to join us?" Kira asked, hoping to change the subject. She knew that Peter was going to take Malia's training seriously, if Malia didn't feel comfortable with Derek there… Kira would be there, that should make it okay.

"Scott and Stiles were complaining about how things are going to be really awkward now that you're dating Peter. Stiles was also still pouting about Malia going to Peter to help with control," Lydia supplied. "I got tired of listening to them, plain and simple. Aren't you glad we got our apologies out of the way earlier?"

"Yea, definitely. And I would've gone over there to sit with you but Stiles totally gave me the cold shoulder in History. And I saw Malia sitting here by herself so obviously she and Stiles are still disagreeing… I figured it might be better to just… give them some space. I can try talking with them tomorrow, after Malia has her first lesson with Peter and they realize that he's actually good at this." She looked over at Scott pointedly, causing him to look away in a hurry.

Malia chewed on her lip, thankful that only Kira was able to pick up on her sudden change of scent, that Lydia and Allison couldn't tell how suddenly nervous she was. Even though Peter had managed to pull her out of her shift yesterday and he managed to pull Stiles away from her in time, what if she couldn't learn control? If she failed at this… they'd all blame Peter. If Stiles, one of the only people she really trusted, couldn't help her learn control, then how could anyone else teach her? No… she had to have faith in Peter, she'd witnessed his ability the other day. She wasn't a lost cause, she had to believe that.

Allison sighed when her phone went off, she knew that Scott had been listening in- he'd been listening even before she and Lydia had come over here.

 _You have to make sure Derek is there today…_

 _How am I supposed to do that? I don't get along with Peter so I know he won't want me there for the training._

 _Kira mentioned them needing a ride right? Maybe, you can take them? You wouldn't have to stay, just… make sure Derek is there and leave_

 _Okay, I can do that_

Allison smiled at the girls across the table, "I can take you if you want, do you know where you're going to be meeting with Peter?"

"I, uh, my mom was going to give us a ride… I know you and Lydia usually stay and watch practice."

"I thought you didn't like Peter, why would you volunteer to go then? What did Scott say… or was it Stiles?" Malia accused. She did _not_ want Allison there, period.

"Scott," Allison admitted. She wasn't going to lie to them, they were all supposed to try trusting Peter… there was no reason to try and sabotage this. "He just wants me to make sure Derek is going to be there, I won't stay. I know Peter and I don't get along so my presence will just make things tense, I know that. The boys just all have practice so they need someone else to double check."

"What's wrong with Kira being there? If Scott was listening this whole time, he knows that she's going with me."

Allison paused, unsure of what to say. It wasn't because they didn't trust Kira, there was no way she could say that… Kira was already glaring at the Alpha though, daring him to say that he didn't trust her to be honest with them. What could Allison really say? She'd let Scott handle this one.

"Peter needs to know I'm keeping an eye on him, no offense to you but that means sending someone who I know won't lie," Scott whispered, knowing that Kira, and Malia, could hear him. They couldn't argue with his logic, surely the two of them would understand.

"I only lied because I knew you wouldn't understand our relationship. But I know Peter is fully capable of helping Malia and Liam, he doesn't need me to cover for him for that. Do you really think I'd lie to you if he hurt Malia? I'm just as capable of stopping Peter from going too far!"

"You're too much of a softy, you'd tell him to stop way before I even reached my limit," Malia pointed out.

"Yea… that's true, I'd be way worried, I mean, it's good that Derek is there, I do trust his judgment and if he doesn't freak out then I won't. But still! Acting like I'd cover for Peter at Malia's expense? I can't believe you…"

Scott shrugged but he at least looked guilty, "I'd feel better knowing that Allison went and saw him there. I know that she wouldn't hide the truth."

Kira felt her Fox bristle at the insult. After everything she'd done to help them, he was implying that they couldn't trust her? All of that went down the drain because she dared to associate with Peter? Like Scott had never lied to be with Allison, or Malia with Stiles! She was just about to stand up and storm out of the cafeteria when Malia's hand touched her shoulder.

"Your eyes…"

Furiously Kira blinked and looked away from Scott, pulling back her anger; she knew part of it was just because she had a strong bond with Peter now. That bond, combined with her Kitsune nature, made her not only defensive about her reputation, but Peter's as well. Where Wolves might feel protective, Kira felt pride; she didn't need to protect him, but she would defend his honor. Sure, Scott wanted to make sure that Derek kept his word, that Peter wasn't trying to sneak off to train Malia without their appointed babysitter. But there were other ways he could have gone about that without blatantly admitting that he didn't trust her. Hell, he could've just asked Derek to send him a picture! That wouldn't have been nearly as insulting, if he just messaged Derek at some point and asked for a quick photo, to show that he was really there. Whatever… Peter would make them eat their words, she just knew it! She'd continue to train with him and get stronger, and Malia and Liam would too! Eventually Scott would see that he was wrong about him… that he could be trusted. Until then, she'd have to talk with her mom about how to rein in the possessive Fox spirit, she didn't need to snap at Scott in the middle of the cafeteria every time he said something rude about her or Peter.

Allison and Lydia looked at each other awkwardly, but they knew better than to say they were sorry, it would only upset her more. Mostly because it was Scott that was giving the order, he was the one that insulted her just now, not them. They also knew that Kira was smart enough to know that Allison's trust issues weren't with Kira, they were with Peter, and that she was doing it because Scott asked Allison to check. If Kira was mad at them too, she would've been glaring at them just as hard. Allison let out a small sigh of relief, glad that Kira hadn't gotten mad at her. She really wanted to stay friends with the Kitsune despite who she might be dating. The group of them finished their lunches, Lydia changing the subject to something a little safer while Kira messaged her mom about the change of plans.

*After School*

Kira grabbed a few books out of her locker, mentally going over her list of assignments, making sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Just as she closed the locker, Malia jumped on her, startling the Kitsune.

"Are you ready to go? C'mon! No time to waste!" And just like that Malia had her hand wrapped around Kira's wrist and was dragging her out to the parking lot. "Do you know where Allison parked?"

"I still can't believe that Allison is the one taking us… Are you really okay with that?"

"I don't have much of a choice, Scott would've thrown a fit if I argued. Stiles freaked out enough when he couldn't talk me out of it last night. If Allison is stopping by to make sure everyone is following the rules, so be it… just as long as she doesn't stay," she added on quietly.

"I won't let her, I know she'll only make things stressful for you. But… Is it really okay for me to stay, I don't have to if I'll just be a distraction…"

Malia shook her head, "You won't be because I don't feel nervous around you at all. And you have your own training to keep you occupied, you won't just be… an audience, like Allison or Lydia would be."

"Okay, just double checking. I promise I won't stare too much, I mean, I am interested in seeing you progress and everything, to learn more about control, but I won't like… you know, make it weird or anything," Kira reassured her.

"Hey, I see that both of you are ready to go?" Allison said, walking up to them. "I'm this way, um, where am I taking you exactly? We never got that far at lunch…"

"The old Hale house."

"Oh, right, I know how to get there."

With that, the three of them went off to the car, Lydia deciding to stay back and watch practice like she usually did. As they all piled into the car, Allison paused before putting the keys in the ignition, "I'm sorry about lunch. I know you probably just want to not talk about it but it's been bugging me. I trust Peter probably even less that Scott does, but that doesn't mean he has any right to just… say what he said. You haven't done anything to lose our trust."

"So you don't think that it was awful of me to lie about seeing Peter?"

Allison shook her head, "No. I might not understand why you picked Peter but… I mean, Scott and I did a lot of lying to my parents when we were dating. He was a Were and I was a Hunter, it was forbidden- not quite in the same way as you and Peter but close enough. That part I understand, that you thought it was better to keep it a secret because of how we'd react at first. Scott just doesn't trust Peter and it makes him nervous that Malia will be there with him. I don't think that he distrusts you in the way he implied but… I don't think he really knew what he said would upset you so much."

"That's one thing he needs to learn about Kitsunes I guess, that we're proud creatures. I know that I've done nothing to lose his trust, my Fox knows that too. I haven't betrayed the Pack in anyway yet Scott flat out said he doesn't trust me not to lie. Yea, the Fox got a little upset- that and the fact that he's still so… resistant to Peter."

Malia leaned forward from the back seat, "Is that because he's your Mate? I mean, if people talk trash on Stiles I get mad too but… it kinda seemed like more than that."

"Yea, I think so. I don't know for sure but, it definitely felt different yea. And, yesterday Scott was totally willing to give Peter this chance, even though the others were against it but he agreed to it. But now he's… all defensive about it?" Kira said, confused.

"I think he's just trying too hard to be the Alpha. He was fine admitting that we had control problems yesterday, right after Liam and I got into a fight, but he had all night to think about it. He wants to make sure Peter isn't going to steal us away," Malia stated. When both girls looked at her, surprised, Malia clarified, "I may not understand Pack dynamics very well, but I understand our animal instincts and I know what being an Alpha means. It makes total sense that he feels threatened right now."

"Well, like Peter said yesterday, he's a part of the Pack too, he follows Scott and he's not even an Alpha, it's not like he can steal you anyways."

Allison nodded, "I can try to talk to him about it. I know I was against it yesterday but, after hearing you and Peter talk about it, seeing how he was with Malia… I thought about it last night… Maybe Peter deserves a chance." Now, if he made any wrong moves at all, Allison would be all too happy to cut him open but, she wasn't that blood-hungry girl from last year. She'd at least wait until Peter made a mistake, she had that much control. Satisfied that Kira really wasn't mad at her for tagging along, she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

*Hale House*

Peter was sitting on the hood of his car while Derek paced around the porch. "Derek, why are you so nervous? I'm the one training her, not you."

"I've interacted with Malia a little more than you, I know how hard control is for her. We're lucky no one at school has seen her shift yet. Lydia's told me about a few different times her claws popped out because she got frustrated with a simple math problem…"

"Oh, do you and Lydia talk often?" Peter asked, brow raised. Derek just glared at him, not answering. "Anyways, this isn't math, it's Were stuff, far more interesting. Besides, it's not like she can't shift out here. Part of learning control is understanding what it means to be out of control. You know that better than anyone."

"As long as you're sure you can-" Derek stopped talking as a car came into view.

"About time, I was starting to… what's wrong?" Peter looked at his nephew as he groaned and furrowed his brow. So… it wasn't Kira and Malia then… must be Chris. Damn, Peter wasn't looking to have this conversation right now. Of course Allison had told him about his relationship with Kira and now the Hunter wanted to threaten him. Peter muttered to himself, "I'm not in the mood for Argent…"

"Not the Argent you're thinking of I'm sure," Derek replied.

Confused, Peter turned around just as Allison's car pulled up next to his. Before he could ask any questions, Malia hopped out of the car and he could hear Kira complaining.

"See, Derek is here, Scott has nothing to worry about! Next time tell Scott to just ask for a picture! But um, thanks for the ride."

Allison nodded awkwardly, waiting until the door was closed before backing out and turning the car around. She thought about offering them a ride home too but she had a strong feeling that neither girl would need it.

"This is… surprising… Kira, what are you doing here, I thought you had training? And what was the deal with Scott exactly?"

Kira blushed and looked at Malia, "I totally forgot to text him to see if it was okay…. Um, I got out of training with Mom just because I knew today was going to be her first day and I thought having a non-judgmental friend here would make her less nervous. Is that okay? Does me being here mess up your plans?"

"No, it's fine. If Malia is okay with you being here, I don't mind either," he assured her. "I just wasn't expecting it. As long as your mom is okay with you putting off training with her."

"Yea, she understands that this was for Malia, not because I just wanted to spend more time with you. I mean I'll be practicing my Tail stuff but, you'll be helping Malia. I'm her emotional support."

"Enough talking, let's get started!" Malia whined.

"Easy there, we have to lay down some ground rules-"

"Always with rules! Ugh."

"That's just the wild side of you talking. You had rules as a coyote didn't you? They were just different than these rules and you don't like them."

Malia thought for a moment, "Yea, I did have rules back then too, but you're right, they were totally different than the rules Scott wants me to follow."

"Well, these aren't rules that Scott wants you to follow, these are just rules on how to be a Were- not a Coyote, not Human, but a Werecoyote."

"So, you aren't going to teach me Pack rules?"

Derek snorted and rolled his eyes, "Peter doesn't even follow Scott's rules, he's certainly not the right person to teach them to you. Granted, he hasn't gotten in trouble in the past few months, he still has a disregard for the rules."

"Thank you for that add-on there, I was about to point that out myself if you hadn't," Peter said, only slightly miffed. Of course everyone knew that he wasn't a big fan of the rules, but no need to point it out in such a way. Malia was depending on him to teach her and he could tell that she needed to see confidence in him in order to find confidence in herself. "Pack rules are important but that wasn't what you asked me to teach you, you want to learn control so that is what we're going to focus on. I won't be overwhelming you with all these other rules, just the ones that apply to being a Were."

Malia smiled, she liked this already! Stiles was always trying to tell her rules that people needed to follow. There were Scott's rules, school rules, the law, traffic rules… so many rules! But here she could focus on just this one thing, she didn't have to worry about homework or the law, just on her inner Coyote. She followed as Peter guided her closer to the house, letting Derek and Kira fade from her awareness so she could concentrate better.

"Okay so, first rule, what happens here, stays here. If I'm going to teach you control that means we also have to work on not having control. You want to learn how to utilize your Were abilities, in order to teach you, we have to fight. But once the lessons are over, they are over, no holding grudges, no getting mad, understand?"

"Yea, this is for training, not real fighting."

"Good. First question, how good is your overall control- I know you are having trouble with shifting without command but, what does it feel like to shift? Do you feel out of control at all, too angry to focus?"

Malia thought for a few minutes thinking back on all the different times she shifted during classes, or when feeling threatened. "The most out of control I felt was when Liam made me mad the other day. The Coyote just… got all worked up and took over, although I didn't even try to hold it back. Most of the time though, during school, I shift when I'm stressed and I don't even realize it."

"What comes out? I haven't heard about anyone freaking out so I'm assuming that no one has seen you fully shifted?"

"No, it's usually just my claws, and the others will see them and warn me. Occasionally I think my eyes flash blue but it's just really quick and only when I'm mad. I haven't felt my fangs grow at all, those only come out when I'm ready to fight someone."

"Hmmm, it doesn't really sound like you're losing control then, not like Scott and Isaac did when they were first turned. How are you at calling them up whenever you want to, are you still having trouble with that?"

"Not really." She raised her hands and extended her claws freely, "I can bring them out whenever I want, I mostly just have trouble with them coming out when I don't mean for them to."

"That's good then. And of course, the full moon transformation you're still having a hard time with. It seems like you just need help finding an Anchor, one that you can easily call up at school when you notice you're starting to feel anxious about something. You're still very much in survival mode, so your shifting is different from what the others experienced," Peter informed her.

"So… I'm not broken?"

"No, you aren't broken at all. You lived as a coyote for years, your recent life experiences are very different from the rest of us. You lived cautiously, wary, that's why your claws come out readily whenever you're nervous about something but you have no problem with the Coyote overriding your senses and taking over You've bonded with your Coyote differently than the rest of us, anger isn't her driving force since you had to adapt to a very different situation. Of course, if you lose your temper you still lose control, which is natural, you are still a Were. I haven't really heard of any instances of you losing control, except with Liam, so it's safe to say that anger isn't a problem."

"Yea," Kira cut in, hoping it was okay. "Even when Liam went after Stiles, you were pissed but still in control. You didn't just fly off the handle and attack with rage. You wanted to hurt him but you were still able to communicate and realize that I wasn't going to let you hurt him."

Malia slowly nodded, remembering that, "Yea, you're right. I was angry but in control even then. The only time I really have trouble is on the full moon, at least with the anger part."

"Okay, so, it's logical that you don't have the same control as we do-"

"What about the full moons though, from before though? I experienced a lot of those as a coyote and never went into a frenzy…"

Peter thought for a moment before answering, "I think that's because your more animalistic side was in control and the bloodlust quickly abated. You went feral, but since you were in animal form… you just turned into a wild animal instead of a rogue Were. Rogues lose their equilibrium with their inner creature as well and they are always ready to hunt down prey. Their bloodlust doesn't peak on the full moon, it's always on the surface. Since you were fully shifted, you just, acted like a coyote, there was no real need for the bloodlust to peak at all."

Malia slowly nodded, understanding the difference. "So I'm only having trouble with control because the sudden shift back to Human, it messed up our equilibrium- even if the equilibrium was more of me being a wild animal, I was in control, I didn't just attack Humans or anything. If… if I find a good Anchor, I can find a good balance with the Coyote again and go back to not having any trouble?"

" Yea, I'm fairly certain that will take care of the problem. So, let's start off today by finding an Anchor for you, do you have anything in mind?" Peter asked.

"Stiles."

The older Were narrowed his eyes when he registered that her heart blipped. "Why are you lying?"

"How do you know I'm lying?"

"Scott really hasn't told you much has he? Weres, with practice, can focus on a person's heartbeat and many people's hearts jump a little when they lie. With really bad liars, you don't even have to listen to their heart, their face and body language generally give them away. Other people have mastered the visual cues and can pass off a lie easily to those that don't have good ears. Of course, there are excellent liars that still pass the hearing test as well, so you always want to be careful when dealing with someone you don't know that well. Your heart jumped when you answered the question, why lie? I'm not here to judge you. And if you aren't honest, I can't really help, it isn't good to build your Anchor on a lie."

"I just… everyone says that a loved one helps… Scott told me that Allison was his Anchor even back in the beginning. Isaac shifted to her as his Anchor too, even if he denies it. Stiles swore up and down that he witnessed how well Allison worked as Scott's Anchor when he was still learning about control. So they kinda made me feel like Stiles was supposed to be mine. I love Stiles, I do! He… he means a lot to me, even now, when I'm still having trouble grasping what it means to be a part of a Pack, I could never imagine leaving Stiles behind… But… he doesn't center me like Allison did for Scott…"

"I can see why you started to feel like you were broken," Peter commented dryly. Scott's methods weren't working for her at all and that probably made her feel like she'd never learn how to do this. "It's perfectly fine that Stiles isn't your Anchor. Your Anchor is for you, no one can make you feel guilty about it and no one can ask you about it either. So, I can help you find your real Anchor, and none of them have to know that it isn't Stiles."

"But that's lying…"

"Not really, I mean, at this point they are _assuming_ , and that's different from lying. You can tell them if you want, you don't have to keep it a secret. I'm just saying, I won't tell them the truth if you don't want me to. They are assuming that Stiles will help you in the same way that Scott's Anchor did, so odds are good that they won't be asking you if you found a new Anchor, they'll just assume that thoughts of Stiles started to work."

"Okay so… a real Anchor, something that calms me down…" Malia was at a loss, everyone seemed to use a person as their Anchor and Malia just didn't feel close to anyone, not in a way that actually soothed her Coyote. If she couldn't use a person… what could her Anchor be? She jumped slightly as Peter suddenly told her to relax.

"You're getting worked up," he commented, lifting her wrist so she could see her claws.

"Because I don't know what to pick! All I can remember is the time I spent in the woods- my home! I haven't spent time with people, I can't make those kinds of connections!"

"Your Anchor doesn't have to be a person. Derek uses anger, an emotion, as his Anchor. Yea, it's weird, don't look at me like that but it works for him. I realized that with everything going on in his life at the time, it was about the only thing that could really center him, taught him how to turn it against his Wolf instead of letting it fuel the Wolf. An Anchor can be literally anything that helps you focus. Don't let the rest of them influence you into thinking it has to be a person, it doesn't."

"Then… can I use the woods? They make me feel free… whenever I'm stuck at the house and I'm stressed, I climb out the window and just sit in the dirt. It makes me want my fur again."

"We can give it a shot, sounds like a good one to me."

"Wait, but I thought those thoughts were holding her back?" Derek asked. "You said that she was in turmoil with herself, wanting to be a coyote again and also wanting to be Human."

"Thoughts of the woods themselves aren't really holding her back, it's the thought of wanting to fully shift, where her Coyote is the most comfortable. But like I said, once they reach a new equilibrium, and she can be a Were, I think her issues will go away. Right now they are both stuck thinking that the two aren't connected, but I'm going to help teach her that they aren't mutually exclusive."

Malia smiled, she really wasn't broken at all! Peter understood what her problem was after just a few moments, and even had a method that should work for her! "After I learn more about control, you can teach me about being a Were too right? Like how to listen to heartbeats, how to pick up different scents?"

"Of course, I'd be happy to teach you about that as well."

"Let's get started then! Tell me how Anchors are supposed to work, like in your words. Stiles has tried to explain but…"

"An Anchor is something that steadies you, just like a real anchor does with boats. It stops them from drifting away in the waves. If it helps, picture it exactly like that, when your emotions get to be too much, you're lost in the waves. In order to steady yourself, you think of your Anchor and ignore everything else."

"So, when I get stressed out or anxious, or during the full moon, I just fill my head with thoughts of the forest?"

"Yea, pretty much that's all there is to it."

"How come thoughts of Stiles don't center me, I mean, it seems pretty straightforward…"

Peter shrugged, "Sometimes, a person just isn't enough. For you, I think it's because you're still new at making those deep connections with other people. Yes, Stiles means a lot to you, you care about him, but… does the Coyote? Sure, she might feel a little possessive over him, you scent him all the time. But that just can't compare to the freedom your Coyote is used to, you spent 8 years in those woods, they are home. Maybe one day Stiles could be your Anchor, but for now, your Coyote needs something a little stronger."

"Do you think Stiles will understand if I explain it that way… or should I not tell him?"

"Um…" Peter turned and looked at Derek, uncertain how to answer that one. Generally, in cases like this, he'd vote on being truthful but he honestly wasn't sure how Stiles might react and he didn't want Scott getting mad at him. For all he knew, the Alpha would accuse him of tricking Malia into liking Stiles less or something. Plus he didn't want Stiles to guilt trip her about her new Anchor, it would only hamper her progress.

"I'd wait. Not because Stiles doesn't deserve the truth, but I think it would just be better for everyone to wait. Knowing Stiles, he's bound to ask you about how training is going, but he probably won't ask for specifics about your Anchor right away. If you feel like your relationship is strong enough, you won't have to lie. You'd know Stiles best in this situation, none of us have ever been in a relationship with him."

Kira smiled at her friend, "I think it will be okay, just as long as you explain it, you know, be as gentle as possible. That might be hard for you, but don't just blurt out that Stiles isn't your Anchor. Stiles seems to be very understanding, I mean, he had to deal with everything all alone when Scott was first turned. I've heard that things were a little rough when he started dating Allison, you know, the best friend is the third wheel now. But he also understood that things change, it didn't affect his friendship with Scott."

"So, if I just make sure to explain that my Coyote likes Stiles but… our bond isn't quite strong enough yet that it can't calm her down, that I needed something a little more familiar, he should understand? I just don't want to hurt his feelings."

"Like I said, your Anchor is yours alone, no one can judge you for what helps you stay in control. He might feel a little hurt at first, just because of his pride, but Stiles is smart. He'll come around once he sees that you still care for him and you aren't going to leave him or anything," Peter concluded.

With that, Malia was ready to get started, asking where they should start. She listened intently as Peter told her he would be doing his best to make her feel anxious, and when she felt like she was starting to shift or lose control, she'd focus on her new Anchor. What she needed was practice in calling up her Anchor and learning how to use it to center herself.

Peter relaxed his hold over his Wolf, normally blocking his scent as a precaution against other supernatural creatures. But he knew that his Were-ness would set Malia on edge, bring out the inner Coyote more than usual. He figured this was the best place to start since he didn't want to just attack her outright, and he didn't exactly want to shout out math problems either. He also positioned himself behind her, so she couldn't visually remind herself that it was just him, not a threat. So it didn't take long for him to see her claws appear and her body was trembling slightly at the tension in her muscles. Thoughts of a predator right behind you would be enough to set anyone on edge.

"Focus on your Anchor," he whispered, not wanting to completely startle her. He watched, waiting, until he noticed her claws finally starting to disappear. Only then did he rein his Were presence back in, walking around to face her. "How do you feel?"

"Not as anxious. It was hard to focus at first… but eventually I was able to block out what was making me nervous and just call up memories of when I was a coyote. That's what I was supposed to do right?"

"Yea, did it feel strong enough or should we find something else?"

"No… I think it worked, it took me a moment to get control but that's just because I'm new at all this…"

"As long as you feel like it's working, you can keep using it."

Malia nodded, "Oh yea, it helped way more than trying to think of Stiles or something."

"Okay, let's try again, I want you to imagine yourself in a stressful situation, and once you feel like you're starting to shift and lose control, think of your Anchor."

Kira was sitting on the hood of Peter's car, watching the two of them; it was interesting to see this side of Peter and not be the focus of his attention. Malia seemed at ease and had no issues with listening to what he was saying. She was startled out of her thoughts though when Derek leaned a little closer.

"So, how is your own training coming along?"

Oh, right, speaking of… she promised Malia that she wouldn't just sit here and watch- she was just really intrigued, wanting to learn more about how Anchors worked for Weres! She cleared her throat and turned to Derek, eager to have someone to talk to about all of it. "Really well actually! I've gotten really good at controlling my FoxFire, I can make it float around, or coat my body." She held up her hand and showed him as small arcs of electricity flowed up her arm. "I can even reduce its power so people can touch it without getting shocked, you know for like mock fights and stuff. Um, I haven't really had to worry about healing much but I mean, I do have my Tail for it at least so I know how to trigger it if I get hurt. I'll probably learn more about it in the future when I start fighting more. Like… Mom is teaching me about how to wield weapons and such but I also need to learn how to fight using my other Kitsune abilities since my weapons won't always be available."

"Sounds like you've been busy-"

"Oh yea, between all the training and schoolwork. But it feels good to be learning more. Oh, and I can totally summon my katana to me! Not from very far away or anything… only a few feet but like it was so exciting to finally get it down! It takes a lot of concentration though… So does the Tail I'm working on now."

Derek raised a brow, he hadn't seen Kira this talkative in awhile. She was generally kinda quiet at the Pack meetings… probably because she felt a little lost and out of place. It was nice to see her coming out of her shell though, thanks to Peter. "What Tail are you working on now? I don't know as much as Peter does so I have no idea what Tails you can learn."

"Oh, right! Here I am just assuming that you know what I'm talking about… sorry. Um, obviously you know about the FoxFire and healing, those are straight forward. Um, the last one I learned allows me to imbue my weapons with my essence, making them more powerful. But it also allows me to call the weapons to my hands- that was the hard part to learn. And the Tail I'm working on now is animal summoning! I can make a kind of hornet-"

"Like the Nogitsune and the flies?"

"Yea, exactly."

"But, your hornets won't be able to possess people right? That was just because he was a Void type?"

"Correct! Mine will be able to use various Thunder techniques, none of which involve possession," Kira laughed. "Right now, I'm working on how to 'instruct' and increase my electricity. Peter says that it's easier to learn those two first and then learn how to actually manifest the shape of the hornet. I've got the instructions part down… kinda. I can have my orbs do stuff without like, consciously being aware of them… but I can't really have them do anything complicated just yet. Still, it's a step in the right direction. The hard part is making the orbs small but highly dense…"

"Wow, sounds pretty complicated…"

"Yea. But I mean, of course you'd think so, you're a Were, none of this is natural to you. Listening to Peter explain this stuff to Malia… that sounds complicated to me! Because I'm not a Were, I'll never be a Were like you guys so I have no real grasp of what this means."

Derek nodded and laughed lightly, "That's a good point. I had my own troubles with learning control but it is still more natural to me since I was born this way. I've just always been a Were and I know my abilities." He watched as Kira created an orb and slowly worked at making it smaller and smaller, then turned to watch Malia again.

Peter had switched things up apparently. Instead of having Malia practice regaining control with her Anchor, he was having her practice fully repressing it. Now, Malia wasn't allowed to shift at all, calling up her Anchor before the shift even happened instead of only calling it up afterwards. He recognized the tactics, recalling when he was in Malia's position years ago. Both were good things to practice, all too often a Were was good at one but not the other and it generally led to trouble. Especially when there was a big difference between controlling anxiety and controlling anger as a Were.

Malia tried to hold in her growl as she listened to Peter berate her, poke her, throw insults her way. She wasn't allowed to get angry! How come this was so much harder than calming down? Before, when she was allowed to get anxious, it was easy to just… call up memories of her home and let them wash over her. Now that she had a working Anchor, it wasn't hard for her to get over her anxiety at all. Malia knew she'd need a little more practice with it, practicing out in the woods and dealing with it at school were two totally different things, but Malia was feeling so much more confident already. But this… this was hard.

"Malia, you aren't concentrating."

She snapped, lunging out at his voice before her eyes even opened, claws and fangs out. But Peter was prepared for it, easily dodging her claws, not even snarling in return. He wouldn't mind sparring with her, teaching her more about how to fight in a Human body but today wasn't about that. If he snarled, she'd only get more aggressive. Instead he tried to pull her back to her senses, "Malia, your Anchor!"

"Oh my gosh, Malia!" Kira cried out, eyes wide. She watched as Peter danced backwards, countering his daughter's slashes. Malia wasn't supposed to get mad though, that's what they were supposed to be training for. She took a step forward, tendrils of electricity already forming along her arm, but Derek stopped her.

"She isn't totally out of control, just angry. She needs to learn how to control it on her own. Peter isn't in any trouble, give her a minute before stepping in."

Derek was right of course, Peter wasn't even shifted at all, and she remembered how he'd snapped her back from her shift in the loft. If he really wanted to knock some sense into Malia, he would, so that must mean he wasn't feeling threatened yet. "O-okay… I just… it's weird seeing them fight."

Peter finally knocked Malia to the ground, eyes flared to hold her attention, "What is your Anchor!"

She coughed as her back hit the ground, air forced out of her lungs… her brain was scrambling for an idea of how to overpower her opponent, but something caught her attention. Malia turned her head to the side, completely distracted now that the wind had been knocked out of her. It was Kira's aura, bright as always… Seeing it snapped Malia back to herself, knowing that she only ever saw the aura when her eyes were flared. She'd been attacking Peter, the Coyote's anger winning out over her common sense… She hadn't even really realized that she was supposed to be stopping… One minute she was trying to focus on her Anchor and the next... She shut her eyes, disappointed in herself for losing control so easily; she felt her claws dig into the dirt below her. Even know, with her Human side mostly in control again, her claws were still out, she was still shifted. Why was this so hard?!

"Malia-"

"I know! My Anchor!" she snapped back, breathing through her nose. Thoughts of the forest, her den, hunting without a care in the world, flooded her brain. Calm, she needed to be calm, she could do this! She was as bad as Liam! No, she snarled to herself, Liam was a pup, freshly Bitten, Malia had been a Coyote for years! Her Coyote and her, they had an understanding before, even Peter had said so, and she just needed to find it again. Malia wasn't used to communicating with her Coyote like this because before, the Coyote was given free rein and it was Malia's Human side that was the voice in her head, giving her casual reminders of Human things. Of course her Coyote didn't want to be quiet when she was faced with an enemy, she wasn't going to roll over and bare her stomach! Things weren't like that anymore though, she wasn't on four legs, didn't have fur…. They needed a new understanding, that was all. Cautiously Malia reached out to her Coyote, in a similar fashion to how Peter reached out to her the other day… She reached out with more calming thoughts of the forest, asking her to be calm, to trust her, that she wasn't in danger right now, that anger wasn't always necessary. A sudden voice knocked her back to the present, eyes flying open and darting around.

"You okay?" Peter asked. He was just a few feet away from her, crouched down. He hadn't wanted to interrupt when she'd gone silent, hoping that it meant she was fighting for control. It wasn't until he saw her fangs shrink back that he figured it was safe to say something.

"Y-yea, I'm better now… I'm in control again. Thank you, for not growling, or forcing me to listen…"

"If I forced you to calm down and shift back, that wouldn't be teaching you about control. No one was in danger here and you deserved the chance to fight for control. Losing your cool is going to happen again and again while you're learning, that's why we're out here, away from prying eyes. I didn't even want to use the Pack bond to try and communicate with you, I was hoping just verbal words would get through to you."

"I just need to understand my Coyote more…"

"Don't sound so dejected, so you lost control, no big deal! I was purposefully trying to make you lose control- that was my intent. I was fully expecting you to attack me Malia, you haven't failed or anything."

"You were?" Malia knew that he was hoping to make her mad, so she could work on using her Anchor, but she didn't think he was trying to get her to lose control completely.

Peter nodded, pulling her to her feet, "Yes, I was. You've said yourself that your control is really spotty, that certain things trigger a shift and you have a hard time reining the Coyote back in. In order to teach you how to gain control, you have to be out of control first. How can you learn how to control something if you never truly unleash your abilities? You're going to continue to lose control, especially when I'm in your face, pushing you over the edge, and that's okay. See, this is why Scott needs to learn more about his Were-ness now! He thinks control is all or nothing and it isn't! His Wolf, your Coyote, they are a part of you, and he needs to embrace it more. I didn't teach him when I first Bit him, obviously, so he did his best to shun the Wolf, gain total control over it. Derek and I actually have a relationship with out Wolves, we know to lean on them, not just steal their powers for our own benefit."

"Scott has total control over his Wolf?"

"Don't get me wrong, Scott can lose control, everyone can and will lose control, no matter how great your Anchor is. I meant it more along the lines that… Scott has completely dominated his Wolf, keeps it chained inside because he's afraid of letting it out. He utilizes his enhanced hearing, his strength, and yes, he did fight against Deucalion and the Darach and is an Alpha now. But he still has complete domination over his Wolf and it's an absolute waste."

Malia nodded as she listened to him, that was exactly the kind of thing Stiles and Scott were wanting her to do! How they chained her up during the full moon because they said the Coyote was dangerous and she needed control over her… But Peter was telling her something different. That she needed to communicate with the Coyote; yes, he mentioned control but it wasn't the same as what Scott was talking about. Peter wanted her to understand her Coyote, reach a point where they were on the same page, not just make the Coyote bend to her will. It made sense now, looking at Peter and Derek, then at Isaac and Scott, how they were so different. It was easy to assume it was because they were Born and not Bitten (and in a way it was) but the reality was in how they interacted with their Wolves. "And you're going to teach Liam how to do it this way too?"

"Definitely, Liam's Wolf is feeding off a lot of anger and the more he tries to shun the Wolf and overpower it, the worse the Wolf is going to fight back. Liam is going to be a handful for sure but… I can at least teach him how to accept the Wolf and not dominate it."

"I'm ready to go again!"

"You sure?"

Malia nodded, squaring her shoulders, "I have a better understanding of what I need to do, I know that I can do this, I just need practice. I know I'm not broken anymore."

Peter nodded and resumed his tactics, a small smile on his face as she lasted just a bit longer before her claws came out this time.

"She did it!" Kira whispered. "I mean, I wasn't expecting her to just snap like that but Peter's right, it's totally normal that she hasn't learned good control. It's natural that the road will be bumpy right now. I'm glad she isn't upset about it."

"Yea, control can be hard, especially when your life changes so drastically, but I'm certain she'll get better after just a few lessons."

"You really think so? Stiles and Scott have been working with her for a few months now… And when she'd first turned back, she had no Were abilities at all apart from a little strength. Then as she learned to awaken it again, it like… flooded her system…"

"Yea, it makes sense, her body- and Coyote, were in shock from the sudden change, and Scott taught her how to unlock her abilities again. Which woke up the Coyote one more and Malia wasn't prepared to handle it so now she's having control issues. But she has a solid connection with her Coyote, she just needs to find it again. Peter is giving her a push in the right direction and Malia will learn quickly."

"Then, after she's learned control, she can learn more about being a Were in general!" Kira exclaimed, happy to see her friend making progress. "Although, I suppose I should be focusing on my own abilities right now…"

Derek laughed as Kira went back to her electricity once more, carefully watching how Kira was forming the orbs, the look of concentration on her face as she worked. Then he looked back over at Malia and Peter, seeing a similar look on her face. He smiled to himself, a small feeling of peace coming over him at the sight of Pack training. It was small, just the four of them together, but Derek knew that given some time, more and more of them would join in. It would never be like what they had before the fire but… it was something; they'd be their own Pack, the McCall Pack.

"Alright, you ready to call it a day?" Peter asked some time later, as Malia once more shifted back to Human.

"What, already? No, I can do more! I'm feeling good about it- I'm getting better at this, I am!"

"I agree, you are. You've grasped the idea of the Anchor really fast, now that you have a proper one. And communicating with your inner Were? That can take a lot of time for some people to grasp. Honestly I think Scott is still working on that part, he didn't even understand the whole Pack bond concept. Even if he didn't have me to teach him about being a Were, he should've felt the pull to bond with everyone after he became the Alpha. Or he would've if he listened to his Were. I can explain that to him once he's ready to listen and trust that I'm not going to sabotage him. Anyways! I think we've practiced enough for today."

"But…" Malia complained.

"Hear me out. Training like this, is putting stress on your inner Coyote, and on you. I've been intentionally angering you and making you anxious so you can learn how to use your Anchor, that isn't something we should overdo. I know you're eager to learn more about control but we should probably stop there, it's been over an hour already."

"I… fine, I guess you're right. You're the teacher…" Malia sighed, wanting to learn more but she wasn't going to argue. It wasn't like she couldn't practice more at home. Hell, just doing homework stressed her out, that would be good practice! She needed small steps though, the last thing she wanted was to wear her Coyote out by pushing them both too far. She was feeling a little strung out so she could admit that Peter had a point. "When can we train again?"

"I'm not sure, I still have to figure out if I get to meet with Liam or not. Plus I'm working with Kira, although I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing some of her training time," Peter offered.

Kira smiled at Malia as the pair walked back over to them, the Coyote bouncing from foot to foot excitedly. "Not bad for the first session then?"

"I think it went well. I need to work on it a lot, especially the anger part but like the nervous part, I feel a lot more comfortable with. But, Peter is right, right? We can share training time? I don't want to take time away from you but I also really need to learn…"

"Yea, you startled me when the two of you started fighting all of a sudden! But Derek stopped me from interrupting since he saw that Peter hadn't lost his cool at all. And you reined yourself back in before too long. And of course! I'm kinda at a point where a lot of what I need to do is just practice until I get it, like I did today."

"Anger is a little harder for me to rein in, I'm used to just attacking, or running away if the threat was too big. The wild isn't very nice and you have to compete to survive."

"But, she doesn't lose control when she's angry, that's good," Peter reminded them. "She might look out of control to someone who doesn't know better, but Malia knows what she's doing. She just… doesn't realize she needs to stop. That's why she's never gotten angry and attacked a random person, they just aren't a threat to her."

"Yup, my Coyote sees most Humans as weak, they are annoying and I don't like being made fun of but generally they aren't worth the effort. But it's so easy to get mad at Scott or Isaac, even Allison, because I can sense that they are stronger so my Coyote reacts to that. And Peter. I was angry and my Coyote wanted to attack and I don't have the self control to tell myself to not attack. But that's on me, not the Coyote, she's just lending me her strength."

"I'm sure Scott will feel better hearing that. I know he worries, but you shouldn't be attacking random Humans any time soon."

"Speaking of Scott, neither of you girls answered my question… why were you mad at Scott, I heard you say something to Allison when she dropped you off?"

"Oh… right… um… well. Scott pissed me off. I need to ask Mom about how to deal with jealousy and stuff."

Peter raised a brow, "What did he say?"

"He basically implied that I'm not trustworthy! We were talking about training and Derek popped up, we weren't sure if he was going to be here or not. But like, I had already offered to come and be her emotional support so Malia wasn't going to be alone with you or anything, on the off chance Derek was busy. Like I would let you seriously hurt Malia! And worse than that, he said that he couldn't trust me not to lie and cover for you. So he told Allison to come and make sure Derek was here! Because I'm totally untrustworthy now and I'd lie about Derek being here or not."

"I can't imagine that went over well… He didn't seriously imply that did he?"

"It wasn't much of an implication, he flat out said it," Malia assured him. "Kira's eyes started to glow and everything, she was pissed. I get that Scott doesn't like you much, but Kira's done nothing to make herself as shady as you."

Derek snorted at her blunt wording, she didn't even know the half of it- hell she barely knew Peter let alone the magnitude of his history with the Pack!

Peter fixed her with a look but didn't comment, it was true enough… he just wasn't expecting to hear it from her. She was definitely… more matter-of-fact than the other teenagers. They'd have to work on her subtly a little more in the future. "I'm afraid that comes with associating with me. I'm certain Scott will apologize for it when he realizes that he upset you so much. He's finally trying to act like an Alpha and he doesn't trust me. Because you like me, that makes you a threat as well, even if a part of him realizes that you really aren't, in Alpha mode, everything comes out a little bit ruder."

"Yea… I know… Allison said the same thing, that he probably really didn't mean it as harshly as he implied. And that it stemmed from you being Peter and your past. That's why I'm hoping Mom has some pointers for me… That was the first time I've ever really felt like my Kitsune was acting of her own accord and I know exactly what caused it. I know it'll get better once everyone realizes that things are different now I just… need to keep my Fox Spirit calm until then."

Peter smiled at her, "And that's why you have a better head on your shoulders than Scott. Come on, I'll take you girls home-"

"No, I can run."

"Malia-"

"No, it's okay. I'm really excited about my progress and I want to let out some of my energy. I figure if… if my Coyote knows that I can still run in the woods and be kinda shifted, we'll get back to that equilibrium like before."

"Text someone when you get home then," Derek called out before climbing into the Camaro.

"I will! Thank again Peter, today really helped!" And with that, Malia took off in the direction of her house, disappearing quickly.

"Well, I'll at least take you home then," Peter laughed, opening the passenger door for her. "Hopefully it wasn't too boring for you?"

"Not at all! I like knowing more about how things are for you, as Weres. Plus, I did work on my own stuff for awhile. I don't think I got very far but I did practice."

"Good, your Mom shouldn't think today was a waste of time then."

Kira shook her head, "Naw, I think she's a little more relaxed about everything now. She doesn't want to push me too hard, which is why we only really practice a couple nights a week. And she won't let me practice with you every day either, she doesn't want me to over-focus on this and ignore everything else. Which happens if I get really interested in a subject."

"And you were worried that she wouldn't understand."

"She didn't at first!"

"I was just teasing, I know things were stressful at first. But that's the good thing about being in a Pack, it's rare that things don't work out for the good of everyone. I know you and your mom are Kitsunes but, the supernatural connection is still there."

"Now the rest of the Pack just needs to get with the program."

Peter laughed, nodding in agreement. Maybe the Pack would finally move past the events that happened a last year. They'd definitely be stronger for it, but they'd have to wait and see. By the time they got to the house, Kira was already making plans for the rest of the week, working out when she'd be with her mom and when she'd be free to work with him. As well as be around as support for Malia.

"I'll text you," Kira whispered, darting in for a quick kiss before any of the neighbors could see. She waved to him before going in the house, eager to tell her mom about how Malia's first session went.

* * *

A/N: I know it kinda cuts off abruptly XD But I wasn't sure how to end it without it just completely dragging on! I have plans for Malia and Kira to talk more tomorrow since she just ran off hahaha as well as some other Pack stuff. Hopefully the longer chapter makes up for the long ass wait! ^.^


	14. Too Much Sharing

A/N: this chapter came out a lot longer than I thought it would. There's a scene between Peter and Lydia and it just... I was on a roll! It completely took control and I just rode out where the characters took me! I hope you all like it, I know it's not really centered just on Kira anymore but I promise I'll still be showing more of her training too!

* * *

*Thursday, School*

Kira climbed out of her dad's car, remembering to thank him for the ride as she hurried into the building. She was full of energy, still buzzing about how well Malia did yesterday! The Coyote had already spoken with Stiles, telling him about how she felt so much more confident now. From what Kira had heard though, he seemed to be a little doubtful, because it was just one lesson. So both girls were eager to talk with everyone and show them that she really was better, together, they could make the rest of the Pack listen.

Malia was already standing by Kira's locker, waiting, "There you are, I was hoping to talk to you… before class started."

"This isn't a bad talk right, you seem kinda nervous…"

Malia shook her head, "No, just wanted to, um, share something with you."

"Yea, no problem, we have plenty of time before school starts, let me just grab my books real quick." Kira hurried and swapped out her books, grabbing everything she'd need for her first 2 classes. Then she followed Malia outside to where the buses were parked, their usual 'spot' for talking about supernatural stuff.

"I um, wanted to say thank you, for being there with me yesterday. I was actually pretty nervous about everything since I wasn't really sure if I could even learn control… I was excited to try though, but still nervous…"

"That's totally normal. That was why I went, even if you weren't really showing it, I know how scary it can be to start training with someone new. Especially someone that you don't know very well."

"And someone that the whole Pack has been trying to tell me is evil. But it all turned out fine, Peter helped me really learn how to use an Anchor- I even practiced some when I got home. Homework always manages to stress me out… Not to mention arguing with Stiles…"

"Did he find out about you new Anchor?" Kira whispered, double checking to make sure they were alone.

"No… we haven't talked about that, he wouldn't stop asking if Peter hurt me, or yelled at me, if he shifted and attacked me, stuff like that…"

Kira smiled, "Well, he does care about you, he just wants to make sure it went okay. I mean, if you think about it, he's never seen Were-to-Were training, just Were-on-Were fighting. I can see how he'd totally imagine that there was a lot of growling and fighting going on."

"Yea, I guess, but why didn't he listen to me the first time I told him that it wasn't like that?"

"Um, because it's Stiles? I kinda get the feeling that when he doesn't trust someone… it takes a lot for him to change his mind, you know?"

"Yea, I guess," Malia shrugged. Stiles trusted her didn't he? So why couldn't he trust her more than he distrusted Peter... She hated fighting with Stiles but this was something she was absolutely sure about. He was the one telling her that control was so important and that she needed to learn- well now she was learning! "Oh, that wasn't even… I got side tracked by the conversation. I know you didn't really do it on purpose or anything but… by being there with me, you snapped me back. Or… your aura did at least."

"Is that what helped you focus all of a sudden? I know you lost control, well, you were kinda in control- you know what I mean, when you attacked Peter. I wasn't really sure what happened, I thought that maybe Peter 'said' something, you know with the Pack bond. You just went silent- like, from growling to super quiet."

Malia shook her head, "No, it was your aura. I had just opened my eyes and was thinking of ways to get the advantage when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. When I saw it, it all just kinda fell into place; I remembered that I can only see that when my eyes are glowing. My eyes only glow when I'm mad and ready to fight someone, which made me realize I was fighting when I was supposed to be in control. That also reminded me of how Liam said it snapped him out of it… which led to me reminding myself that I'm not like Liam. He's a pup, literally he's new to all of this. I'm not. Once I realized that, everything just sort of clicked into place."

"Wow, amazing how one thing leads to another and then another and then you have a solution to the problem. Kinda. It still needs work I'm sure but, you have something solid to go off of now! I'm glad I could help, even if I didn't really… do anything, I was just there."

Malia was about to answer when someone else came around the corner of the bus.

"There you two are… um… can we talk?"

"Hey Scott," Kira called out. "Uh, with me or Malia?"

"Well I mean, Malia can stay, I'd like to hear about how her training went… other than what Stiles yelled at me while complaining. But I, um, wanted to apologize too. I talked with Allison, or well, she talked with me, about yesterday." Scott slowly came closer, shoving his hands in his pockets. He really shouldn't be nervous about this, it wasn't like he didn't know how to apologize, he could admit to being wrong. Kira had… just never really been that angry with him before, and he didn't want to mess everything up.

"So, you'd actually listen to how training went? Not just argue with me like Stiles?" Malia asked.

"Yea, of course. I mean, Stiles wasn't really arguing, not seriously, that's… just the way Stiles is. He never told me that he didn't believe you, just that he was worried that maybe Peter was doing something you wouldn't understand was bad. He does believe you when you say that you do have more confidence though."

Satisfied, Malia nodded, "Okay then, we can talk about how the training went. And besides, that was why both Derek and Kira were there. Well no, Kira was there as my friend, Derek was there as the babysitter. If he doesn't want to just take my word for it, he can ask Derek. But first, apologize to Kira."

"Right." Scott cleared his throat and looked at the Kitsune, "I realized what I said almost immediately after I said it but for some reason… I dunno, something stopped me from apologizing yesterday. I know that sounds like a really weak excuse but, it's true."

"No, I understand, I mean, you're the Alpha of the Pack, everyone depends on you to keep them safe. To you, Peter hasn't… proven to be entirely safe yet. I… I do understand that as well, but, part of me got offended anyways. Just like part of you was on edge yesterday- it's a part of our inner natures. The important part is that you apologized, better late than never. And I accept it."

"And, I can totally prove that Peter isn't really Satan in a v-neck-"

"One session isn't really enough to prove anything, good or bad, technically," Scott interrupted. "But," he hastened to add, "I'm not going to try and stop you from going. Nothing bad happened yesterday, so he still has time to really prove that his methods work. I know control takes time."

"Good, I don't want you punishing him just because… I might not be perfect yet. I do feel more confident though!"

Kira smiled, "I feel more confident too, in my abilities. That should just be what we focus on right now."

"Yea, good idea. Um, maybe we can talk more about it at lunch? I promise you can sit with us today, it won't be weird."

Both girls laughed and nodded, just as long as nothing happened between then and now.

*Second Period History*

Class was about half-way over when it happened, Malia got called on to answer a question that everyone knew she didn't have the answer too. All eyes turned to her and Malia's mind went completely blank. She… surely she remembered reading that name! Where was it? Oh no… her brain just wasn't working… Malia could feel her heart start to race as a few of the other students quietly snickered. Just before she started to panic, looking down at the book for the answer, Peter's words echoed back in her head- she needed to focus on her Anchor. That was what all her training was for yesterday, this was the perfect place to put it to work! A small part of her mind skimmed the pages, looking for the name Mr. Yukimura mentioned. The rest of her brainpower was concentrating on the forest, on her old den, the sounds of nature all around her. If she had faith in her Anchor, in herself, she would stay calm, it was fine, everything was fine.

Stiles shifted in his seat, wondering how he could help calm her down… he was sitting next to her, not behind her so he couldn't like… hold her hand or anything like Allison had done for Scott. Still, if he didn't want her to shift in class he'd have to do something! He was watching as she frantically searched through the book and he was chewing on his lip, waiting to hear the sound of the pages ripping. But it didn't happen.

"Um, the Gettysburg Address was… given Thursday, November 19, 1863?" Malia called out, finding the name in the book. Hopefully it was the right answer...

"Yea, good job Malia," Mr. Yukimara said. "Next time try to have the answer before class?"

"Right… there's just… a lot to remember…" she mumbled as she looked down at her highlighted book. But still, she smiled to herself- she'd done it! Barely… she could feel her eyes… they'd started to tingle a bit, just like her fingertips did. Malia's grin grew wider; she was starting to understand her body better! Before she never really thought about the steps of shifting, she either shifted or she didn't. But now she could feel the hints, the precursors to the shift and it was able to warn her when she was losing it. Happy with herself, she turned to Stiles, smiling at him, only to find him gaping at her. Had… had she done something wrong? Did she shift a bit and not notice?

"How did you do that?" he whispered.

"Mr. Stilinski, pay attention please."

"Right, I am." Stiles looked forward again, picking up his pencil. When the bell rang later, finally excusing them, Stiles hurried out into the hall. "So, Malia, how'd you do that?"

"Find the answer? It was in the book…"

He rolled his eyes, "No, I meant… how'd you stay in control? You hate being put on the spot like that, with kids laughing at you and stuff…" Seriously, he'd been waiting to hear the pages tear, the quiet growl… even maybe see her lip start bleeding from her fangs, one of the usual signs of her control slipping. There wasn't even a flicker of blue in her eyes this time.

"Well, I know you haven't forgotten, I trained with Peter yesterday. He taught me how to… use my Anchor. That's all. So I was able to recall that and it helped me not lose control. Just like an Anchor is supposed to."

"But… Scott and I have been telling you about Anchors for weeks! It was like we were speaking another language when we explained it…. What changed?"

Malia sucked in a breath, did he know? There was no way he could know that she changed her Anchor, Kira wouldn't have said anything! Was it really obvious that she wasn't using thoughts of Stiles? This wasn't how she wanted to tell him but… if he'd already guessed... "Well-"

"Peter just, has a different way of explaining things. It was obviously a more effective method for Malia, something she could understand," Kira interrupted. She'd seen the look on her friend's face and it wasn't hard to figure out what she was thinking. But Kira knew that he hadn't meant it that way at all. She smiled at Stiles, "No need to get jealous, after all, remember, this is about Malia, not your ego."

"I… well… I know that! I was just…"

"We can talk about it at lunch, Scott already told me he wanted to hear about it. But I gotta go to class, you do too." Malia leaned in to kiss him before hurrying off to class. Thank goodness Kira had been there to throw Stiles off track, it wasn't like she could've lied to him. That had been too close! She just wasn't ready to tell him, she wanted more time to get her explanation right.

Stiles grumbled to himself as he hurried to class- he wasn't jealous! Well… okay, maybe just a little! But Malia was his girlfriend, shouldn't they have some sort of special bond or something? Hell, they'd gotten really close at Eichen, that should count for something…. But, Kira was right, Peter was a born-Were, he had experience with this kinda thing. Honestly, he was happy that she was learning, he was! Control was the most important thing right now, and as much as he argued with Malia about her new mentor, he was glad she was learning.

*Lunch*

Kira smiled at her friend as they met at her locker, "Any other close calls?"

"Yea…" she admitted. "Miss McCurdy asked me to 'assess' a sentence she'd put up on the board… wanted me to say what kind of um… ugh what did she call it?"

"Literary device?"

"Yea, that! How'd you know?"

Kira laughed, "I have Miss McCurdy too, just at a different time. Since we just started learning about them in detail, I figured that had to be what she was asking you about."

"Oh. Well, anyways… she asked me what kind of literary device was in the sentence on the board. One kid even just yelled out that there was no way I was going to know the answer. And… it wasn't like in history, how I could just skim through the book and look for the word that Mr. Yukimura had mentioned. I felt myself get frustrated but thankfully Miss McCurdy is nice. She scolded the class for laughing and said it was okay if I was having a hard time, that there were plenty of other students that hadn't done so well on the pre-section quiz. Then she walked me through how to identify what it was."

"And, what was it?"

"I can't… remember how to say it, it's like a huge word. But it was the one about sound effects."

"Oh, right! Um… onomon…ona… crap… I don't remember it either. But, you didn't shift?"

Malia shook her head, opening the door to the cafeteria, "No, I managed to stay calm enough, even though I wanted to punch that kid in the face. Then Miss McCurdy was walking me through the different types and I was able to tune out all the other kids and just listen to her. She talks to me like you do, so it's really easy to get what she's saying."

"That's good. I'm so glad you also got her instead of one of the other teachers. I can't imagine you doing well with a teacher like Mrs. Frenza- she's worse than Mr. Harris!"

"Wait, how would you even know? You never had Harris?!" Stiles argued, coming up behind them all of a sudden.

"Yea but we've all heard you, Scott, and Isaac complain plenty!"

"Yea, and that still doesn't compare to the true evil that is Mr. Harris, come on," Stiles pushed ahead of them and started towards their usual table. They were extremely lucky they never had to deal with Harris. Peter might be Satan in a v-neck but Harris definitely gave him a run for his money… He was Satan in a suit and tie. Stiles really wasn't sure which one was worse now that he thought about it.

The girls walked a little slower, their uncertainty coming back to them now as they followed him. But they'd promised to talk about how yesterday went, if they skipped out now, it would look bad. They just had no idea if the others would honestly listen or just try to pick everything apart and demonize Peter.

"Kira, um… can we talk?" a voice called out just as she set her tray down beside Lydia.

She spun around, surprised at him approaching her here, "Liam, what's up?"

The freshman was bouncing from foot to foot, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone else at the table, he didn't want them trying to talk to him. He just wanted to talk with Kira. "Maybe we can, um… eat outside?"

"Oh, right, of course," Kira turned to the rest of the group at the table, "Don't forget to actually listen to Malia's story okay?" With that, she grabbed her tray and followed Liam outside. She felt a little bad about abandoning Malia to answer questions on her own but she wasn't about to turn Liam away either. Kira had confidence in her friend to survive lunch.

"Thanks, I just… don't want them listening you know? And no way do I want to sit with them…"

"I get it, you still don't know us very well, not really. What did you want to talk to about, nothing's going on right? Um… no trouble with shifting?"

Liam shook his head, "No, as long as they don't hassle me between classes I'm actually not bad at controlling my anger. I've had a lot of practice but… for some reason, Scott and the others just really set me off…"

"I think… maybe, I'm not sure but, maybe it's because you're a Were now and they are Weres too, you know? Your Wolf picks up on the fact that they are Weres and it just sets you more on edge than before. But, anyways, just as long as that isn't the issue."

"Yea, um, right. I was just… hoping to ask how training went? Did Peter say anything about training me? Like he hasn't… changed his mind?"

"No, he hasn't changed his mind, he does still want to train you. He just isn't sure, since you have lacrosse and, you know… Scott. Would you really be okay with being there with Peter? You don't know him at all, or Derek- I don't want you to feel weird."

"Well, you'll be there right? I trust… Peter to teach me, he seemed sincere and I saw what he did with Malia after we fought. Plus I heard you talk about him and I trust you. You wouldn't… date anyone that was a bad person."

Kira smiled, it felt so good to hear someone say that; sure, Liam didn't have the history with Peter like the others, so of course he trusted Peter. But still, she knew that this was a big deal for Liam, he was still on the fence about accepting his Were side anyways. "You're right, I totally trust Peter, we've spent a lot of time together and he's proven himself to me. And after what I saw with Malia yesterday, I know he'll… I don't want to say go easy on you because he won't but…like he won't… he won't be like Scott, forcing you to listen to him. He'll explain things to you and stuff, in a much easier way, you know what I mean?"

"Yea. So… can you tell me about how it went? Maybe that will help me… I dunno… get ready for it? I don't even know… when I'd be able to meet with him… I have lacrosse practice every day! I can't…" Liam growled suddenly, overwhelmed with everything again.

"Hey, it's fine. Has lacrosse gotten hard for you at all? I heard um… one day at practice…"

"It's been hard. If practice is going fine then… I don't have any issue with control. But one wrong move on my end and I just… I lose it… which of course brings Scott, Stiles, and Isaac down on me! Scott keeps telling me to rein it in but like how?! I won't quit lacrosse because of this!"

"You got control at the loft all by yourself, you can do this. It's called an Anchor, I'm sure you've heard them say that. Just focus on something calming, okay, whatever helped you focus before."

Liam looked up at her, taking in her aura, in awe like always, letting it take over his mind. He wasn't sure if he'd ever really get over it, he'd never seen anything like it. Slowly he felt his anger fade and he squeezed his eyes closed, counting his breaths like his stepdad taught him to calm himself the rest of the way. "This is hard… it's almost impossible for me to do that at practice… and it still takes me a bit when I'm alone… ugh…"

"Don't focus on that, here, I'll tell you about how Malia's training went, we can just focus on that. I'm sure in general that will help you realize that this isn't a hopeless situation." Kira sat down at the table, noticing the grateful smile from Liam. He'd master this, he just needed time, and someone to explain it to him in a way where he didn't feel threatened.

*Scott's Table*

Malia chewed on her lip as she watched Kira walk away- could she get them to listen all by herself? Only one way to find out… so she sat down and cleared her throat, a little unnerved that they were all quiet, waiting. None of them were peppering her with questions, it was… weird. "I guess I'll um, start right after Allison dropped us off. So… I was really eager to get started but he wanted to go over the rules first and-" She stopped when both Allison and Isaac started snickering.

"Sorry," Allison quickly apologized, "It's just that… Peter, going over the rules?"

"Peter probably has his own sets of rules… like rule one: don't tell the others what happens here," Stiles pointed out.

"Stiles! It wasn't like that, just listen. And also, that's the same reaction that Derek had. But we went over the rules first, rules about how training was going to go. He said that what happened during training stayed there and-"

"Told you!"

"Stiles, stop interrupting her!" Scott admonished.

Malia lightly growled at Stiles so he'd know that she was upset with him before continuing on with her explanation. "He wanted me to know that no matter what happened, whenever training was over, it was in the past. Like, I couldn't still be mad or upset, there was training and then there was everything outside of training. I couldn't hold any grudges if we ended up fighting and he kicked my butt. Which I understood, Peter is supposed to be training me how to communicate with my Coyote in various different circumstances, including when I'm mad at something. Then he asked me a few questions and based on my answers he explained that I'm… different than you guys, which is why I was having trouble."

"Different how exactly?" Scott asked. Were Werecoyotes different from Werewolves?

"Well, it has to do with me being fully shifted for years… how I was almost entirely a wild animal. I couldn't even be considered a Rogue because even though my animal side took over, I was in animal form, not Human form. I have a completely different bond with my Coyote than you guys do with your Wolves."

Scott and Isaac both looked at each other, not really following what she meant.

"I don't…"Malia chewed on her lip, she couldn't explain it like Peter had. She'd listened to him and understood what she meant but mostly she just felt the difference, it had clicked with her. Malia still had trouble putting everything in words when it came to her instincts and feelings. "You'd have to ask Peter for the details, it all makes sense I promise. Peter was able to explain it to me differently, that my Coyote isn't angry like your Wolves are… for me anger isn't really a trigger."

Lydia raised her hand, "Okay, question. How is anger not a trigger when it causes you to shift uncontrollably?"

"I… okay um, my shift is tied to my anger but my control isn't. Like… when Scott or Isaac get really mad, they lose control, the Wolf takes over and they have to fight it. For me, the Coyote recognizes that I'm mad and that triggers a different kind of response. I might be mad but I'm still fully in control, I think my own thoughts. I just… truly think that I want to bite someone even though I shouldn't."

"Oh, I get it, yea, that makes sense."

Everyone looked at Lydia, Allison leaning forward, "Um, can you explain it to the rest of us please?"

"Okay so, way back when Scott was having control issues, every time he'd get mad, his animalistic side would take over, the Wolf would just assume control and Scott would be helpless to control his actions. Right?"

"Yea, that's why he almost attacked me quite a few times, like he didn't even recognize me at first."

"Right. With Malia, she's saying that she doesn't have that reaction. Yes, she shifts uncontrollably but that's because her Coyote is telling her that she needs to fight but the difference is that Malia, on a subconscious level, fully agrees that she wants to fight. The issue is that, now that she's Human again and we've all told her that fighting is bad and that shifting is bad, a part of her brain knows she can't shift. So the two parts of her brain are arguing with what to do, and the Coyote just comes out. But she is conscious of her actions, she knows that she's growling at someone, versus how Scott would have no idea and wouldn't mean to."

"Yea, exactly! And on top of that, Peter said that back in the wild, the Coyote was always in control and the Human was mostly asleep. The Coyote naturally wants to handle some situations with violence because that's the only way to survive in the wild. She's doing it all to protect me, as an instinct- it isn't because I'm just mad and I want to kill things for no reason. Now that I'm Human, I have to remind the Coyote that we can't just attack people anymore and it's hard to think that way. It isn't natural to me at all!" When everyone was nodding, Malia continued, "Okay so after we established that, we went on to-"

"Okay wait, sorry, what about the other rules?"

"Other rules?"

"Yea..." Stiles said, "Peter was going over the rules with you, but you only mentioned rule one, what were the other rules?"

"We never actually… got to any of the other rules… We went straight into talking about my control issues and then working on my Anchor. The rules were for training so I guess he'll tell me more rules as I need to follow them."

Scott blinked, that sounded… weird. Why did he only have one rule? It didn't seem like Peter to get sidetracked by Malia's questions and then just forget to finish explaining the rules.

"You'll have to ask him, but right now, that's the only rule, what happens during training is for training purposes. It isn't real fighting and it isn't bad, it's just… training. So, anyways, my Anchor…" Oh, right… Malia didn't exactly want to tell everyone like this, especially not without first telling Stiles.

"Yea, what did he tell you that helped… make sense?" Scott asked.

"Um… he explained that…" Malia searched her brain, how had Peter put it, she could tell them what happened just as long as she skipped over the part where they discussed Stiles not being her Anchor. "Oh! I remember how he said it now, he said I should just picture a real boat and anchor. How when the anchor is being used, it keeps the boat steady, no matter what the water or wind want the boat to do. He said to picture myself like a boat, lost in the waves whenever my emotions get to be too strong. Then I grab onto my Anchor and let that keep me steady."

"But that was what we said!" Stiles argued.

"No it wasn't! You said that whenever I got mad, just think of you!"

"Yea, exactly!"

Malia rolled her eyes and groaned, "You never explained _why_ thoughts of you would help, you never explained what exactly thinking about you was supposed to do. Scott shared stories about Allison and how she could just hold his hand and he'd calm down but that doesn't make any sense to me. That's like when you tell me that 5 times 2 is 10 but don't explain why it equals 10, just that it does!"

"But… it does equal 10… it will always equal 10."

"This is why I like when Kira helps me with homework during lacrosse practice… She showed me with pencils, explaining that I have 5 different groups of two and that I'm adding them all together and it's shorter to think of it one way instead of the other. She at least explains the reason behind it, not just that it's some magical thing that happens; when you combine 2 and 5 in a certain way it equals 10 but then when you combine them a different way it equals 7!"

"Okay, okay, I understand what you mean… I just… I learned about that stuff years ago, to me it's just second nature right now and I forget how to explain it. As for the Anchor stuff, that isn't my fault, I mean, I'm not actually a Were so I don't truly understand how it works, on a personal level. I was just going off of what I was told."

Scott smiled sheepishly, "I probably could've explained it a little better but at the time, back when I was first Bit, I didn't really understand it myself. And then… Like Stiles said, I kinda took for granted that you'd understand. I mean, you'd been a Coyote for years without any problems, I didn't really think that you'd have trouble with… knowing what an Anchor was, just in picking one. So I'm glad that Peter really does have a lot more experience in this kinda stuff, it sounds like he had no problem at all finding a way to explain it to you."

"No, it took like… 5 minutes. And then I was able to spend the rest of the time practicing how to use it."

"Oh, so how did you practice? I mean, please tell me it was better than what Stiles did with Scott!" Allison laughed.

"Kinda? I mean he didn't throw things at me, but he made me think of stressful things and stuff, anything to get my anger up or my anxiety. Once I was shifted, he'd have me think of my Anchor and see how long it took for me to find control and un-shift."

"That's it? I mean, that sounds like it was a pretty easy day then,"

Malia gave everyone a small smile, decided that it would be best if she didn't… mention the fight. Not that it had been a real fight, Peter never actually attacked back or anything. Yea, that was better off left unsaid for now.

*Outside*

"Whoa, they got in a fight?!" Liam exclaimed.

"Not really! I shouldn't have said it like that. It was more like Malia just lost control finally and got super mad. Like before she was mostly just… anxious I guess, enough that her claws came out but that was it. After so many times of that happening, I guess her Coyote finally felt really threatened and she decided to protect herself. Peter totally anticipated it and stayed in control, he didn't fight back at all. Just kept trying to talk with her until she remembered to focus on her Anchor."

""Well, I guess that's a good sign for me. I don't really want anyone to kick my ass just because I'm having a hard time reining myself in. But at the same time, I'd rather he kicked my ass than let me just… hurt someone, y'know?"

"I totally get that. And, just because this was how things went with Malia doesn't mean that's how he'll do things with you, keep that in mind. Malia's experience has been unique, because of her past," Kira reminded him.

"True, she has a big head start on me, that's for sure."

"I'm sure he's going to tell you the same thing as Malia though, it's perfectly okay to lose control during these sessions. He said something about… you can't really understand control until you've completely lost it. Right now you're absolutely afraid to lose control and it's putting stress on you. So I'm sure he's going to say that a lot during your first meeting."

Liam nodded. That sounded really scary. He was a monster! No… he sighed at himself, Kira had asked him to stop calling himself that. He wasn't a monster, just… a Were now. "Um, just keep me posted on when he wants to try to train. Right now… my only free day is Sunday… That hardly seems like it would help, only one day a week?"

"We'll figure something out, don't worry."

"Oh, um, you can continue telling me about yesterday, I didn't mean to interrupt."

*Scott's Table*

"So that's what we practiced doing for about an hour and then he told me we should stop there. I didn't really want to but he said it might put too much stress on me and it was best to stop before I overdid it. Then I ran home."

"Okay, it really doesn't sound like it went horribly at all, right?" Scott asked, looking at the others.

"Naw, seems pretty chill…"

"Yea, even Derek was more hands on with us when we were first turned… although… I think that had more to do with the fact that we had to learn how to fight a Kanima on top of everything else so… it was hectic in general. We were learning how to fight basically, which meant we all got thrown around a lot…" Isaac's voice trailed off as he remembered all the time that the 4 of them had spent in that train depot… God he still missed Erica and Boyd so much… And he'd almost lost Allison on top of that? Maybe he should talk to Derek about training again, like, real training…

"So, that means I can go back right? You approve? I mean, I'd still go regardless but this means I won't have to fight with you about it?"

Scott laughed, "No, I still give my approval. Am I still nervous about the whole thing? Oh yea, but… I'll concede that yesterday really seemed like a breakthrough for you, and that's good. So yes, you can keep having sessions with him." Of course, he'd already decided to text Derek, just to get a second perspective on how the day had gone. Not that Malia had lied to him- she seemed really nervous to tell the story but he hadn't heard any outright lies. He just… wanted to also hear Derek's opinion on how it went. Malia would be up for a lot more punishment while still thinking it was fine. It was a good sign that Derek never messaged him saying it was a disaster, that he had to call it off early or something. So Scott was sure that Malia had pretty much kept things accurate, it would just help settle his nerves. It could wait until after lunch though, just so Malia didn't get angry and think he didn't believe her or something- he'd learned his lesson from yesterday!

Satisfied that she had convinced them, Malia started to eat her lunch, eager for a change of topic. She didn't like when all the focus was on her. Thankfully the rest of them seemed to know that and moved onto another topic.

After a moment, Stiles leaned in, gently bumping her with his elbow, "Hey, I am proud of you. You did great in class today." They might argue about Peter but he'd be damned if Malia didn't know that he cared.

"Thanks." It meant a lot to her, it really did. She was able to finish lunch feeling 50 pounds lighter. Hopefully Kira's conversation was going well too.

*After Lunch*

Lydia sighed to herself as she walked to class… maybe Derek was right, maybe she did need to have words with Peter… Malia really did sound more confident and listening to her explain how the session went… Stiles had looked unsure still but he didn't argue and Scott was supportive. So yea, Derek was right, they definitely needed to clear the air between them, or… at least try to… This was an obstacle and Lydia did not like obstacles; she just needed to look at this objectively. Peter would not continue to have control over her and if he was truly sorry, he needed to prove it. She suddenly turned away from the stairs, heading towards Ms. Morrell's office. After all, there was no time like the present. If he was going to be dating Kira and training the Pack, Lydia was going to make damn sure he was behaving! Without even checking to see if she was busy, Lydia opened the door, "Ms. Morrell, I need to be excused."

"Lydia, is everything okay?" the counselor asked.

"No, I need to have a talk with Peter and if I don't go now, I'll just talk myself out of it."

Marin nodded, knowing all about what was going on in Scott's Pack right now. "I take it I'll be excusing Miss Argent as well?"

"No, I um, I want to do this alone. If I take Allison, it will just turn into a fight like last time. I need to do this on my own."

"Are you sure?"

Lydia nodded, she was strong enough to face him. Derek kept telling her that he was trying to be different than before- well here would be his chance to prove it to her. Seeing that Ms. Morrell was going to actually excuse her, Lydia pulled out her phone to text Derek.

 _So I decided to take you up on your advice. Have Peter come to the loft… I'll talk with him._

 _He's already here actually, we were discussing how to approach Liam. You'll have to surprise him though, if I tell him you're coming… he'll probably make excuses to leave._

 _Well keep him there, he isn't the one that gets to be nervous about this._

 _Did you want me here? I don't think Allison should come…_

 _I guessed the same thing, I'm coming alone. But yea… can you stay? Peter might not like it but I feel like it would just be a disaster if it was the two of us. I'm getting ready to leave school now._

 _Alright then, I'll keep him in the loft until you get here. I promise, he won't hurt you._

Lydia couldn't help but smile to herself, she knew Derek would protect her. He wasn't that same angry Alpha that held a grudge because she inadvertently brought Peter back to life. As soon as Ms. Morrell handed her the slip of paper, she went to the office and excused herself.

*Loft*

"Don't tell me that's Scott with problems?" Peter groaned as Derek looked at his phone. There had been a few quick-fire responses and he knew that Derek didn't text many people. Couldn't they have one day without problems?

"Actually no, it's not."

"Oh… good." Peter waited for clarification but it didn't come, "I won't pry then."

"Good."

Damn if he didn't want to though- Derek played everything close to his chest… Just because he was being secretive didn't mean that the texts were personal, although Peter would love to tease him if they were. That wasn't what he was here for though… They needed to make plans for Liam.

Derek put his phone back in his pocket and crossed his arm, "So, Liam is going to be hard to get to, because of his schedule. Scott's told me that he's absolutely adamant that he won't quit lacrosse and Finstock has them practicing during the week and now that the season has started, that means games every Saturday…"

"Once a week isn't going to be enough. He'll have to take a break from practice- not quit per se, just… a break."

"Good luck getting him to agree to that."

Peter rolled his eyes, if the kid wanted to learn how to live as a Were, he'd take a break. The thing was, Peter wanted him to come to that conclusion _before_ he hurt anyone, not after… And the major thorn in his side was Scott because he'd already burned his bridge with Liam by being overly… assertive. Not something he ever thought he'd say about Scott. "God, this Pack is seriously more trouble than it's worth sometimes…"

"You can't say that, you found your Mate because of this Pack."

"It was a figure of speech now knock that smirk off your face before I do it for you. You're just jealous because you haven't gotten laid in awhile."

"We are not discussing my love life. Ever."

"Oh come on, we just to talk to each other about everything! How many times did I help you sneak out so you could see Paige?"

Derek scowled and turned towards the stairway, "Yea, that was before Paige died and Kate got a hold of me. That was before our family was murdered."

Peter winced… he always managed to forget just how hard Derek was on himself. Peter at least rightfully blamed Kate for killing everyone, he knew she manipulated Derek! Derek was the most loyal Packmate anyone could ever ask for, he was Talia's favorite, even if he wasn't the Alpha-in-Training. But Derek would probably never forgive himself for being young and absolutely heartbroken. "Derek…"

Derek went into his room and grabbed his jacket before hurrying back down the stairs. He knew he couldn't leave, Lydia was on her way but… he needed some air.

"Oh, are we going somewhere?" Peter asked. He didn't really seem like he wanted to go for a run but judging at how fast the mood shifted, he wouldn't be surprised. They could fit in a run before talking about Liam some more, if that was what Derek needed. He really didn't mean for the conversation to shift back to… _her_.

"You can stay here, I'll be right back. I just need a minute... I had no reason to just jump to Kate…" Derek sighed to himself, hating that even after all this time she could just… ruin everything. Peter's lighthearted teasing had hit too close to home. "Besides, we haven't finished talking about Liam."

Peter narrowed his eyes, it wasn't like Derek to just leave, let alone encourage him to just 'hang out' in the loft. Not even when he was in a funk- especially not when he was in a funk. If Derek really just wanted space, he'd kick Peter out and hunker down alone. So he was clearly hiding something, but Peter wasn't going to push for details. If Derek didn't want to talk about whatever it was, there'd be no forcing him, Kate was definitely a sore subject after all. "I'll just be here then… alone…" He didn't miss the smirk on Derek's face as he slid the loft door closed, now what was that about? No point in questioning it now, he'd probably find out sooner or later. So he got up and went into the kitchen, looking for food, frowning as he looked through Derek measly collection of snacks. He'd have to make d0 though, who knows how long it might be until his nephew was ready to resume their conversation. Not that he was going to let the time go to waste, Peter was perfectly capable of brainstorming on his own.

That's what he was doing minutes later, pacing the kitchen, when he heard the loft door slide open again. "Not bad, did you really collect yourself that fast. Or did Scott do some-" He cut himself off as he turned and found Lydia standing in the doorway beside Derek. Oh that sneaky bastard! He'd invited Lydia here? Why?!

"We need to talk."

"About what?" Peter asked as nonchalantly as he could. He really wasn't sure what was going to happen but he knew that talks about Liam had just been moved to the back burner. The two of them continued to just stand in the doorway, staring at him… He actually had to rein his Wolf in, he was feeling cornered right now and if he didn't curb those feelings, he'd just get aggressive and that was the last thing this situation needed. But, oh, was Derek going to hear about it later!

Lydia closed the door and walked further into the loft, "Derek suggested that we clear the air. If you're really trying to date Kira, you're going to have to convince me that you've changed. Otherwise I'm just going to continue to be a thorn in your side."

"How am I supposed to do that exactly? Our last meeting didn't go so well, what, with you running out and all…" And it hadn't even been about him and her, it was about Kira.

"I'm a lot calmer today than I was on Tuesday- I didn't even bring Allison this time. Just you and me," Lydia stated, dropping her purse onto the couch. She was certain that Peter saw passed her façade but she was going to keep it up as long as she could. As long as she kept the nervousness stamped down, she could face him.

"And Derek?"

"I'm just here as a witness."

Peter huffed quietly, "I don't think this is a good idea…"

"Why not? Afraid that you can't convince me?"

"If anyone were to find out that I was alone with you, they'd freak out," he told her. Derek or no Derek, the others would not approve of this. Besides, he didn't even know how to show Lydia he was different. She'd never trust anything he said… It wasn't like a simple apology would fix things between them, Peter wasn't that stupid. Why did his nephew want to do this now?

Lydia took a few steps towards him, changing the subject, "You once offered to teach me, why?"

Derek almost choked when he registered what Lydia was saying- when had that happened? Why didn't anyone tell him these things?! Had Lydia really gone to Peter on her own in order to learn more about her powers? Derek had no idea that she'd been that desperate to figure it out, although… so many things had happened a couple of months ago and they were all trying to figure out how to fight the Nogitsune. No surprise that she had probably felt useless at the time and wanted to find a way, any way, to help them. But to go to Peter?

"Because I wanted to help. I knew that the trauma I put you through ended up awakening your latent abilities-"

"How do you know that?!"

Peter leaned against the table and crossed his arms, "That's how Banshees work."

"You're saying you knew what I was?" Lydia asked, narrowing her eyes. "I thought you just knew I was somehow immune…" This… this changed so much. Not only did he know what she was, he knew as soon as she started hearing things what was happening to her? His bullshit excuse of being her 'spark' wasn't… fake? Sure, in general she believed him when he'd told her that the first time but she didn't truly understand what he meant by that… maybe it had been the Bite of an Alpha that woke up her supernatural-ness… But apparently that wasn't what he'd been referring to.

"I did know you were immune to the Bite, because I knew you were a Banshee. I'll be honest, when I Bit you, I didn't intend to wake up your powers- I know that day a few months ago I implied otherwise." Peter cleared his throat. It had just been so easy to rile them up, and he was on edge that day, seeing Allison in the loft. Maybe he used his sarcasm as a defense, like Stiles… he was just better at it, using it to deflect away from the issue at hand. Which… had worked against him that day, it set Allison on edge and she got just as defensive and then two of them were at each others' throats. Of course he didn't want to just admit that he'd absolutely traumatized her and ended up awakening her powers… so he'd lied.

"So, you knew I was a Banshee and that I'd be immune to the Bite… so even from the start you were planning on using me as your backup plan- you knew that Scott and Derek were going to try to kill you." That's what he had admitted before, that she was his backup plan! They just hadn't really discussed it further, Allison had called him insane… And now his comment about being around to help her master her abilities- at the time it hadn't made any sense but now she realized it was a slip on his end. He admitted back then, maybe by accident, the he knew she was a Banshee and she didn't even know what he'd been implying…

"Correct, you were the perfect person, I could transfer some of my memories into you without actually turning you. I did it via a bite because I needed them to think I was still intending to grow my Pack, that I wanted more power. I couldn't let any else know… I actually needed you, a Banshee, even one that wasn't aware of her powers yet."

Derek had to honestly refrain from saying anything at this point- Peter had known even back then? He'd offered to teach her? Why had he waited so long to tell them about her powers? If he had known right when she started hearing things and finding bodies… he could've saved everyone a lot of stress… Granted Derek knew the reason he didn't say shit… but that was besides the point! Hell, he still couldn't get around the fact that Peter had planned everything so carefully… had transferred memories to Lydia without any of them even knowing until it was too late. Even when he'd used Lydia to bring himself back, Derek had just refused to acknowledge that Peter was that conniving, that smart… That was why he'd blamed Lydia, even though, deep down, he knew she had no choice in the matter.

Lydia narrowed her eyes, "Why?" That wasn't what she'd been expecting to hear at all! Not only was Peter admitting that he had targeted her specifically, but that it was because she was a Banshee, not just immune. How did her being a Banshee help him avoid death?

"How else would you have heard my whispers? There are other creatures out there that are immune to the Bite but they wouldn't have served my purpose. Memory sharing is a risky practice at best, and it works best in Were-to-Were transfers. Were-to-Human isn't quite so bad, but any other creature… the process is… lacking to say the least. My memories would have come through as foggy if I tried to transfer them into any other creature, but with a Banshee, they'd come through crystal clear. Even if you didn't know how to truly use your Banshee powers to listen to the whispering, the fact that my memories were now inside your head, you would have no choice but to listen. I disguised my intentions with a bite- I knew no one, not even Derek, could guess that memories could be transferred via fangs and not just claws. So, I gave you my memories, sealed a part of myself inside you, and then… used you to bring me back to life… Afterwards, I realized just what I had done- you won't believe how… clearheaded I was when I woke back up. The insanity was just… gone. If I'm honest, I think it was because my inner Wolf was so weak, coming back from the dead if very taxing; it let my Human side realize what I'd been doing. When you started exhibiting signs of being a Banshee… I knew that I'd traumatized you. Like I mentioned earlier, that's how… Banshee powers work. It's fucked up but, they don't usually awaken until you've experienced something awful. And I was that something."

"Yea, having you inside my head, manipulating me and scaring me… traumatizing seems like an understatement!"

Peter nodded his head, "When I realized that your powers were manifesting… I wasn't sure what to do… I knew you'd probably want nothing to do with me, that much was obvious."

"Yet you offered anyways."

Peter shrugged, "Only after months of debating with myself. Only after it was clear that you needed guidance, that you were overwhelmed… and that you were ready to learn. And it was an open offer, you didn't have to come."

"Enough with the bullcrap, you just wanted my help!"

"If you're talking about Talia's claws-"

"Yes, I am!"

Derek was starting to grind his teeth, Peter tried to use his mother's claws- that was what he'd wanted them for?! No… he needed to calm down, Peter was different now, no one understood that better than him. That hadn't just been another manipulation… He needed to wait for Peter to explain himself, if not now, then later, when they were alone.

"It wasn't like that. First and foremost, I knew you'd never believe me if I said that I just wanted to help you. Second, the claws were the only thing in my possession that I could have used to help teach you. I knew that they had whispers still locked away inside them. Yes, I was curious as to what memories my sister stole from me but I had no idea it would be something so shocking. So I assumed they'd be safe to use… You aren't the only Banshee I know, so if I was that desperate for answers, I could've taken them elsewhere. But like I just said, I had no idea they'd have such a surprising secret, so I was in no hurry to find out. I held onto them, figuring that they'd be useful in the future. I already had the idea in mind to use them to help teach you, but that depended on if you'd actually meet with me. So when you called, I had the perfect bargaining chip, something believable! That it would be a favor for a favor.

"Now, I'll admit, the meeting didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked, Allison got under my skin and I reacted poorly… You told me she was coming but still, having her around set me on edge, I knew that she'd be even more disbelieving than you! You at least wanted to try and learn, you'd be more willing to hear me out than Allison… And of course she was amazingly skeptical of what I was saying, rightfully so, I was being… my usual self… Somehow we managed to get past that and you actually heard Talia's whispers… When you told me the truth… that I apparently had a child, well, I wasn't at all prepared to hear that. So I was a little aggressive, demanding answers. I shouldn't have done that but it's in the past now."

"Allison got under your skin, she set you on edge? You were antagonizing us!" she yelled, letting her anger out. It felt so good to finally yell at him!

"I don't do well with Hunters- especially Argents! That shouldn't be a surprise. So I gave Allison a little attitude… and it backfired and ruined the meeting, I know that's on me! And she had every reason to zap me, she was concerned for your safety, I'm not blaming her for that either. I was just explaining why I acted the way I did. I'll repeat, I wasn't actually expecting you to reveal such a… huge secret. I had no idea that my sister would steal something like that from me. A daughter? Why would she…" he took a deep breath, collected himself. "Needless to say I was surprised, and I know that I never really helped you learn how to control your powers that day-"

Lydia cleared her throat, interrupting him, "In a way, you did. The hint you gave me, when you stopped me from leaving that first time. Even just that small hint cleared up so much. It let me know that while I was screaming, I was supposed to listen and not turn away from the whispers like I had been trying to do. I learned why certain sounds were important and how they could help me focus. But are you really trying to tell me that you were helping out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Not out of goodness no, out of penance. There's a difference. To do so out of the goodness of my heart would mean that I honestly just wanted to help, that I had information on Banshees and wanted to freely share it with you. My intentions were not so altruistic. But the reason I told you at the time was also a lie… but a believable one: that I wanted information only you could give me. I helped you because I was feeling guilty and it was the only way I could try to make things right. I thought if I at least offered…"

"That you'd be able to sleep at night again? That the guilt would go away?" Lydia sneered. "If only it were that simple for me! That I could just forgive you and the nightmares would stop! I was miserable for months! And just when I start to get better, you make a move on Kira and I think history is repeating itself. All those feelings, the fear, it came flooding back!"

"Things are different with Kira! I understand why you refuse to trust me, I can see how you'd be distrustful of anything I'd do, but it's different. And I have no idea how to convince you! It took a lot just to convince Derek and we have the Pack bond!"

"Everyone keeps throwing it in my face, that I'm not a Were so I can't understand. I don't have any precious Pack bonds to go off of, to ensure that you really have changed. But I won't be taking anyone else's word, I need to see for myself," Lydia told him, a fierce look on her face.

"How am I supposed to do that- you just said, you aren't a Were, I can't just create a Pack bond with you…"

Lydia pulled a hair band off of her wrist and tied her hair up in a messy bun before striding forward and pulling out a chair. She sat down, back of her neck exposed, "Show me."

Derek stepped forward, eyes full of concern… she couldn't mean that!

"Oh no," Peter backed away. "I'm not touching you. If anyone were to see the marks on your neck, they'd demand my head."

"Oh don't be so paranoid, I'm not going to tell Scott that you attacked me or something. I almost always wear my hair down, he won't see it. Besides, Derek is a witness, remember? I'm asking you to do it, you didn't force this on me. Now, convince me- and I'd prefer that you didn't use your fangs this time."

Peter blinked in surprise. Lydia… she was a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for. He could sense the tension coming from her, the underlying spark of distrust and anxiety, but she was masking it all behind her Queen Bee persona. He had to give her credit, she hadn't broken down yet, given in to the anxiety of being close to him… But she was close to the edge, this was dangerous territory. "You don't want me inside your head again, I know you don't."

"Lydia, this could trigger you all over again. It's one thing to see him with Kira, recall all the bad things he did. It's another to feel his memories again… Trust me." Derek spoke softly, needing her to understand. Talking about Kate was triggering, seeing her was triggering! But when she'd actually caught him, tied him up… had touched him again… that was a thousand times worse than anything he could've imagined. It would be the same for Lydia…

She looked over at him, noticing the look of absolute pain on his face. How could she convince him that she'd be alright? Lydia knew this was going to suck, hadn't even really planned for it to happen this way but now that the words were out of her mouth… she knew it was the only way she'd ever believe. Her voice was soft when she spoke to him, "I can do this… no, I _have_ to do this. I survived it the first time around and I'm at least fully aware of what's going to happen this time. Besides, I know you won't let him hurt me."

Derek nodded, quickly walking over to her, kneeling by her side and taking her hand. He'd be right there, a solid reminder that whatever she was seeing, wasn't truly happening, it was just a memory.

Lydia smiled at him gratefully before turning back to Peter, "If you really are different from the Alpha that controlled me, then this won't be like the last time. I'm asking you to show me that you've changed in the only way I can truly understand. Show me something that will convince me."

He sighed but stepped forward, lightly pressing his fingers along the back of her neck, "Are you absolutely sure you want me to do this?" He looked down at his nephew as he asked, hoping that he'd call it off, convince her to try something else…

"Just get it over with. Derek is here and apparently he trusts you enough because he isn't even arguing. Are you really going to mess everything up by giving me horrible memories?" Lydia asked him. "I can't feel a Pack bond with you, and I honestly don't know yet if I can trust you to teach me anything more about my powers but… for Kira's sake, I need to know you're trustworthy."

Derek nodded from the floor, they all knew that Lydia had a point. Derek knew that Peter was really changed and that Lydia was trusting him to be right about that. This was the easiest way and both of them knew that Lydia wouldn't stand to be called weak right now. At the first sign of distress, he'd make Peter stop, but until then…

"Okay, I'll do my best not to… overload you. But this isn't an exact science, I can only partially control what you'll see." He waited until Lydia nodded before he unsheathed his claws and carefully pressed them into her skin.

Lydia's eyes closed as a swarm of images bombarded her and it was a moment before she could begin deciphering what she was seeing. Surprisingly it was Derek, not Kira that she saw first; it was the two of them sparring in the woods. She witnessed as Derek asked about Laura and felt the pain and sorrow… listened as Peter relived that night and asked for forgiveness. She felt Peter drop to his knees and bare his throat and even she recognized his posturing despite not being a Were. She felt his contempt and humiliation as he told Derek about the monster he'd become and in that moment, Peter also inadvertently shared his secret with her… how he was afraid to shift, afraid that he would never be a proper wolf again, only a monster. But before she could dwell on the fact that Peter had also inherited the power of a full shift, the scene in front of her eyes changed; now she could see Kira, opening the loft door, hopeful look on her face as she sat down next to her… no, next to Peter, these were memories seen through his eyes. Lydia watched as the Kitsune took notes, listening intently to what Peter was saying… things blurred again for a moment and then she was in the woods, helping Kira learn how to control her FoxFire. Then she was helping Kira work on her first Tail… it was then that Kira had kissed him the first time and she could feel how it affected Peter. He'd been surprised by it… Another flash and suddenly she was in a dark house, fighting someone when a whimper reached her ears. Kira was hurt, facing off against a Kanima. The absolute fear and anger that surged through Peter surprised her as he realized that Kira had been hurt. She witnessed how he carried her back to the car, was so gentle with her, so careful, but also proud of her. Next it was flashes of conversation with the Yukimuras, sometimes angry, sometimes not. Lydia realized there was plenty of proof and that these were only Peter's memories alone, not even Kira's or Derek's. She wouldn't need to see anything else, just this had been enough- she hadn't been expecting to see the moment with Derek at all… had thought she'd have to beg Derek to share it with her. Lydia was preparing for Peter to end the connection when another memory filled her head; Kira over top of her suddenly biting down on her neck and Lydia was overwhelmed with different feelings, but the one she recognized most was the control Peter was exerting over himself as well as the absolute shock of being Claimed. The scene morphed one last time and Lydia could hear Kira pleading with Peter, to Claim her. Then suddenly the connection was dropped and she felt the pinch at the back of her neck as Peter's claws were removed.

"I- I didn't mean to show you that last part," Peter stammered out, uncharacteristically nervous, dancing backwards, away from her. All of his feelings about Kira had just made the memories surface and he couldn't pull them back in time. He was sure that Lydia could have easily been convinced without needing to see those moments between them. Peter looked away as Lydia spun around in the chair, he couldn't bring himself to look at her, actually embarrassed that he had let those memories slip.

"You really do care for her," Lydia whispered, taken by surprise at the moisture in her eyes. While a part of her was also embarrassed about being privy to Peter's love life, it had actually really made his feelings sink in. She'd seen that Kira did indeed come to Peter and asked for help, had seen her parents being understandably resistant at first but eventually coming around. There hadn't been any lies or deceit, just Peter being honest and Kira's parents realizing that maybe it was okay. And she had seen that Kira did indeed mark him first, and asked for it in return.

"I do. I was just as surprised by it as you are, when I first realized how deep her feelings ran for me. It didn't take us any time at all to realize that we both wanted to be more… So to hear everyone assume that I was manipulating her… To feel myself being shunned by everyone after I've tried so hard to make things right… I just want to make things right."

"I believe you," Lydia said, gingerly touching the back of her neck. While earlier it had felt good to yell at Peter and make him uncomfortable, she didn't feel any of that anger anymore. She was still horribly conflicted, a large part of her mind screaming that she shouldn't ever be alone with him, shouldn't trust him enough to take another lesson from him. Spending time alone with Peter in that manner was too much right now. Her mind was crawling from that familiar buzz that was Peter… old feelings of anxiety threatening to surface, balking at the unwanted presence again… But she believed it was worth it- at the very least, she did fully understand now, that Peter loved Kira and just wanted to be the best he could, for her if not for himself. "You aren't forgiven, but I do see the difference now. I won't hassle you or Kira about it and I sincerely hope you can help Malia and Liam find control. Maybe one day, Scott and I will heal enough to also ask you for help again. But for now, this is enough."

Peter watched as she closed her eyes, collecting herself, he saw how tightly she was gripping Derek's hand and knew this had taken a toll on her. Memory transfers were very intimate and the last time her mind had felt him… well… they all knew how that affected her. She was having a guttural reaction and was trying to fight against it. After a few minutes, she let her hair down and stood up, walking over to grab her purse. It was then that he realized he'd never… "Lydia, I'm sorry."

She turned and looked at him, brows furrowed just slightly, Derek mirroring her look perfectly.

"I never actually… I tried so hard to just give you space… I didn't want to rip open any old wounds… but I never said I was sorry. For controlling you, for forcing my memories on you. It never felt like the right time, and it wasn't like we spent any time alone together… But I'm sorry, for what I did, for what I put you through."

Lydia slowly nodded, surprised at the fact those words just came out of his mouth. It only vaguely made her feel better, those words couldn't erase the scars he left but… hearing them did mean a lot. But she needed to leave, now, before everything boiled over and she lost it. Her skin was crawling and the older memories… "I accept your apology, although I can't say you are fully forgiven yet." Without anything left to say, she let Derek walk her out to her car, thankful for the support.

Peter stood there for awhile after she left, at a loss for words. Had… had they seriously come to some sort of understanding? Could Lydia possibly forgive him sometime in the future? That… that wasn't something he'd ever come to expect, never in a million years. Although he didn't often apologize sincerely either, he hated admitting that he was wrong but he also knew that what he'd done… if anyone deserved his apologies it was Lydia and Derek. It really shouldn't surprise him that the two of them seemed to be a lot closer than anyone realized… they unfortunately had a lot in common. Of course, when Derek came back in, he pretended like none of it happened, immediately jumping back to Liam and how they were going to help him. Really… one of these days he'd make Derek own up to his feelings… but not today, they'd done enough sharing.

*Peter's Apartment, After School*

"I can't believe your mom was okay with you coming over last minute like this," Peter mumbled as he curled around Kira on the couch.

"Well tomorrow is weapons training for sure… I guess that leaves Saturday for training with Malia again? Unless… she wants to go tomorrow alone, which she might do."

"No, I already told her no training tomorrow either…"

Kira looked up at him, "Was today really that taxing?"

Peter rubbed her back, letting out a deep sigh… "I'm sure Lydia is feeling a lot worse right now, at least emotionally… But sharing memories is actually kinda hard. It's a lot easier to see memories, and I ended up over sharing… You'd think Were healing would help with headaches but surprise, it doesn't!"

"Wait, looking for memories is easier, even when you don't know what you're looking for?"

"Depends on how good you are at it I guess. Like when I helped Isaac remember what happened at the bank. It was all fuzzy and Deucalion tried to steal it from him but I still got something. But I know the marks of a tampered memory, I know what they feel like, so it was extremely easy for me to lock onto and… see. Besides that, as long as you have the… recipient focused on the right topic, their mind is doing all the work for you. They might not think they recall anything but the brain is great at capturing stuff, even if we don't realize it."

"Makes sense, so broken memories are easy to latch onto and then as long as everyone is thinking about the right thing, memories in general aren't hard to find. So what's hard about sending the memories, if all you have to do is focus?"

"Oh, see, it's different for the person that is using the technique. So, I want to get a memory from you, say you saw someone get attacked but in the heat of the moment you can't really recall just what kind of creature you saw. I just ask you about the night to keep it fresh in your brain and proceed. Your brain is like an open window I'm looking into. But when I'm still the one using the technique and I'm trying to force my memories into your head, it's a lot harder. This time I wouldn't just be looking in the window, I'm actively sending specific memories into your head while also concentrating on the mental connection."

Kira nodded, "Gotcha, like… yea, that does sound a lot harder. Wow I didn't even think about how memory sharing could be so… consuming. Do you think… my dream manipulation Tail is similar to that? I mean it isn't memories or anything but I'm still kinda entering someone's head right?"

"Actually yea, that's an amazing connection there. I hadn't even thought about it- I remember learning about it of course but I figured you weren't close to that Tail yet so it wasn't even really in the back of my mind. That's actually going to be really helpful when we get to that Tail I think- keep that in mind."

"I'll try… I can be scatterbrained sometimes, if you haven't noticed…"

"No you aren't. Occasionally you get excited about certain topics and just kind of run on and on but that isn't the same as being scatterbrained at all. You've always managed to bring yourself back on topic around me."

"I… okay yea, I guess it isn't the same thing, it's just embarrassing sometimes."

Peter shrugged, "It hasn't been that bad lately, I mean, you have something pretty important to focus on now, your Tails, helping me with Pack stuff, school. It's all settling down and you're focusing just fine."

"Speaking of… Pack stuff… is Lydia going to be okay? Like I know you didn't do anything to hurt her, but you also said that… y'know, it'll be affecting her all the same."

"Lydia will… she's going to pretend she's fine because she doesn't want the Pack to know she talked to me. So maybe you should keep an eye on her, let her know that if need be, she can talk to you about it. She's probably already figured out that I'd tell you since we're Mates. But it will probably make her feel better to know that you're reaching out to her to show support. In the long run, yea, she'll be fine. I mean, she's come a long way from how… damaged she was last year. I… messed her up pretty bad… But I think yelling at me today did help, at least a little bit. She could come over and yell more if she wants I guess, that I can handle just fine. Just no more memory sharing for awhile."

Kira smiled, leaning back against him, "So, anything I can do to help with that headache?"

"That depends," Peter growled out, leaning forward to bite down on her earlobe. "Do you have to go home after dinner or can I keep you?"

Kira sighed softly, tilting her head to the side, "You can keep me forever." Her eyes drifted shut as his hand found its way under her shirt, playing with the hem of her shorts. Coyly she lifted her hips, encouraging his hand to travel downwards.

"I'd love that but you're still undera-"

"No buts! We don't have to think about that right now."

"No butts? Your butt is very nice though." Peter punctuated his point by running a hand up the back of her thing, slowly gripping her ass and massaging the muscle with his hand.

"That's not what I meant and-" her sentence ended in a moan as he rolled her onto her back and shifted over top of her, lifting her shirt.

"That's not the only nice part about you though," he whispered, kissing her bare stomach, working his way higher. Fuck, the things he wanted to do to her, make her feel good. He sucked at the underside of her breasts, slowly, slowly working his way towards her nipples, one at a time. Ever so gently he bit down, judging her reaction, seeing how sensitive she was. And he was rewarded with a low, throaty moan, her back arching.

Kira curled one hand in his hair, guiding his touches with small movements of her hand. Her hips started to buck slightly, wanting to feel something inside her; she whined and chewed on her lip wanting to feel more but also extremely focused on how tender Peter was making her. She did feel a hand undoing her pants and she shifted, making his reach easier. He started off slow though, just lightly adding pressure to her clit with one finger. Kira rotated her hips more, wordlessly asking for more.

Peter thought about making her wait but realized that it would be cruel, and it wasn't like they'd talked about what things she might be into yet. He might be an asshole but he was still considerate to his partners, and Kira was way more than any casual fling. So he gave her what she was asking for, sliding one finger inside her, pushing against her walls as he flexed his finger. As she moaned louder he pulled away from her nipple to kiss her, lick at her bottom lip. He started to growl a bit as she spread her legs wider, rocking her hips against his hand for more friction. As Peter slid a second finger inside her, he flexed them asynchronously, keeping her on edge.

She started to pant and whimper, eyes fluttered as his fingers pushed deeper inside her. How was he doing this with just his fingers? Kira was only vaguely aware of his teeth on her neck, body lit up with excitement. It wasn't until she cried out, feeling the familiar tingle across her skin that she realized, quite literally, how energized she was. There was a loud zap of electricity arcing and then the sound of cracking glass, her eyes flying open.

Peter couldn't help but chuckle as Kira blushed and looked around. "I guess I really shouldn't get you so worked up near any lamps… or I can just invest in a lot of light bulbs."

"Sorry," she muttered, still breathing hard as her body slowly calmed down. It probably didn't help that his fingers were still moving in lazy circles inside her. Not that she wanted him to stop of course.

"Don't worry about it, it's just a lamp. I'm just glad I have an easy way to monitor my work. If you aren't glowing, literally, I'm not trying hard enough."

Kira laughed then, glad that this didn't feel awkward at all. Maybe one day she'd get a little better and reining in her energy, even in the middle of sex. Did it count as sex if it was just his hand? "I don't think you ever really have to doubt if you make me feel good." She smiled and kissed him, wrapping one leg around his hip. Getting to know Peter was the best decision she'd ever made.


	15. Training and Communication

A/N: Eeep, I'm sorry for being gone so long, some really tough IRL issues came up and have been keeping me from writing. So many of you have been really understanding though and I truly appreciate it! I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things now that everything has calmed down a bit. So here's 13k words XD This chapter focused a little more on Peter & Malia, but we still see Kira of course (she trains with Derek for a bit too). The next chapter will be the lacrosse game and that will focus primarily on Kira's+Peter's POV as they watch out for Liam and stuff :) So more Kira/Peter stuff in the next chapter wooooo!

* * *

*Saturday, training*

"I take it you're ready then?" Kira laughed as Malia rushed out her front door and into the car. She hadn't even needed to honk the horn before Malia had the front door open.

"Yes! I wanted to train earlier this week but Peter said he was busy!" She couldn't believe that Peter was really busy... he never seemed all that busy before but now that she needed time with him, she had to wait! But she couldn't complain too much, he'd promised they could work together for a longer period of time today. "I did fine in school but I have so much work to do still, I need all the training I can squeeze in before something comes up!"

"Oh don't say that! Things have been crazy enough without some sort of… supernatural mayhem, the Nogitsune was more than enough!"

Malia scowled, "Just because stuff like that sucks doesn't mean that we should just… stick our heads in the sand and hope nothing bad happens- that's all the more reason to train hard! So when something does come up, we're prepared. Stiles says preparedness is key, that something is always going to happen because life is chaotic."

"I know, I know, Mom's been pounding that into my head too, ever since that close call with the Nogitsune. We lost Aiden, and Ethan went off to go escape from his loss. Allison almost died too… Lydia was kidnapped and anything could've happened to her if we hadn't gone to save her. Is it too much to ask for a bit of a reprieve? I've only been here a semester and that was more than enough chaos for me. Can you imagine what it would've been like with the Alpha Pack and the dark druid around?!"

"I was around… the forest was uncomfortable because of the Darach's presence. I had no idea at the time of course but, all the forest creatures could feel it." As for the Alpha Pack, well Malia agreed with Stiles- Scott had been too easy on them. She might not have known Derek's previous Betas but after everything she heard about how important Pack was to Wolves, why hadn't he let Derek kill Deucalion? Let alone why Peter let Scott get away with what he did… she was getting mixed signals on how all of this worked. All that mattered to her were Stiles and her dad…. Maybe Kira too if she had time. The rest… well she was working on it.

"I didn't even think about that, wow, not knowing what was going on during all that must've been super stressful for you, especially in your Coyote-controlled mind. We don't need something like that all over again…"

"Well I'm not stuck as a coyote anymore so, I'll be fine."

Kira couldn't help but laugh, of course Malia would be thinking about it that way. She really had faith in her abilities, especially rolling with whatever life threw her way. The Fox envied that sometimes, especially on those days when she felt stressed about what the future might bring.

By the time they pulled up to the old Hale house, Malia was calm again, focused. And she was composed enough to not just run out of the car the minute it came to a stop, this wasn't her first session and she wasn't a pup.

"Good to see you again-" Peter started to say before Malia interrupted him.

"You haven't changed your mind right?"

"...About what?"

"It's Saturday, so we can practice for more than just an hour right?"

The Wolf chuckled, "Yes, we have most of the day for training, although I'm sure you'll want to go to the game tonight?"

"That's like 10 hours from now. I just wanted to make sure that we'd _really_ have time to work on control and my abilities."

Peter nodded, "I was thinking of starting off with the latter actually. If I can teach you how to hone your Were abilities, I think control will also be a little easier for you. Once you get a real grasp on how to fine tune your various senses, you'll have a deeper understanding of your body."

"Yea… I know what you mean, I kinda already have some experience with that. I noticed it the other day in class- I get this kinda… tingly feeling, in my eyes or my fingertips. I've only just recently started to notice it though, so yea, it's something I should probably work on. Before I didn't even think about stuff like that, I either had claws out or I didn't. And it was just about impossible for me to know when my eyes were glowing, Stiles would always have to tell me."

"That's good, you're aware of the feeling already. It's easy to pick up on, but it's also easy to just ignore because you're used to your body reacting a certain way. So today, we can focus on how to really use those abilities to help you in everyday things."

"Like how to listen for lying?"

"Yea, as well as how to pick up chemo-signals from others, how to separate those scents from all the others, and how to listen despite other loud noises going on."

"Are you sure we shouldn't still be working on control? We only really… had one day of that, and while I do feel more confident… I know one session isn't enough…"

"Well what I'm hoping this will do is help you bond with your Coyote again, build up some more of that old trust. It will also… reprogram the Coyote. She's still used to taking control for all those fight-or-flight reactions, for covering your ass when something makes you anxious or angry. The control is already there, believe it or not. It's just not setup correctly. We need to reassert your Human half as in control, teach your Coyote when it's okay for her to come out and assist you with things- that will pretty much stop all the uncontrolled shifting that's happening at school. Along with your Anchor of course, but these practices will help wean you off using your Anchor in everyday situations and only in extreme situations where you can't just shift and fight."

"So, what about the full moon? That seems like it falls under that last part, when I really can't control myself and I have no reason to even want to fight but I can't help it."

Peter nodded again, "Yea, controlling yourself on the full moon does fall under that last part, but I'm hoping if we build up your confidence again, working on your Anchor will be easier, and by the time the next full moon gets here, control won't be nearly as hard. That being said, no matter how much I prepare you for it, it is still going to be hard. You can recall how the last full moon made you feel, you can practice getting angry all you want and then calming down, but it just isn't the same when the moon finally peaks and is calling to the Coyote."

"So even after all this… I won't just have full control?"

"That will come in time. I'm just warning you, when the full moon happens, even if you feel ready, you will actively have to fight your baser instincts to regain control. But you can do it, just… don't feel bad when it takes a couple of minutes. And with each full moon under your belt, it gets a little easier."

Malia frowned, not liking the sound of that… It meant that she'd probably still need to be chained up, to protect Stiles and the others. Which of course would make them think she wasn't trying hard enough to gain control. But… Peter said it might only take a few minutes to snap out of it, and it made sense. The last full moon… it had been intense- she fully recalled everything that happened but she couldn't control any of her actions. It was weird, being coherent enough to talk with Stiles, but out of control to the point where she would've hurt him… And that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Don't worry about it too much, you'll feel more confident as we continue to train. By the time the full moon gets here, you'll have a better understanding of what I mean. Now, what did you want to work on first- wait, let's start with the lying thing, since we have Kira here."

"What, me?"

"You're the perfect one to help us, so it's good that you came to this session too."

"Just because I'm bad at lying…" Kira mumbled. It wasn't hard to grasp just what part she was going to be helping with here.

"No, it's because Derek and I have _too much_ practice lying. Derek only fails in really stressful situations, but generally that's when he's facing Hunters anyways so, it's not like they can hear his heart."

"But I'll be able to tell she's lying just because of her face!"

"Hey!"

"You can't do that if your eyes are closed, right?"

"I… true. Okay."

"Okay, first, Kira, just calm down a bit, don't think about it, this isn't to make fun of you. But we need Malia to hear your steady heart first… and also… you being nervous, just so she can hear the difference…"

Kira took a deep breath, no reason to be so nervous about this! It was just Malia anyways. She just sucked at lying…. "Wait, can I learn how to do this stuff too?! Well… not the claw and fangs stuff, but the listening and whatnot."

"Yea, it can't hurt for you to get some pointers, although I'm sure your mom will give you some more in-depth lessons later, once she's sure you can handle yourself in a fight."

"Yea, I'm hoping that maybe… I can tell her I learned some pointers here today with Malia actually and maybe she'll start mixing up my lessons."

Peter laughed, "That's pretty smart. You learn something and you also have a way to drop hints with your mom. That will be good practice for Malia too, if you really focus on how you're feeling when you lie, it makes it easier to listen for it too."

"Cool. She can go first and stuff, I was just hoping to learn a little more too. Then when you move onto the claws and fangs, and the Anchor stuff, I can go back to my own thing."

"Alright, so, since it's just the 4 of us out here, this shouldn't be too hard, not like if we were in town where there's all kinds of ambient sounds. So, the hardest part is going to be zeroing in on Kira's heartbeat and not mine or Derek's, or your own. It gets easier with practice, and it's a lot easier with voices, since you can pick out what they sound like and just focus on that."

Both girls nodded, Kira figuring that she could at least attempt this part too before answering questions for Malia. She unfocused her eyes and concentrated on listening. It was easier than the other day, when she'd been listening for Liam. There weren't nearly as many noises for her to try and sort through, just some ambient animal noises and then heartbeats and breathing. That was weird, it almost pulled her out of focus as the breathing around her got louder; she almost shook her head to clear it. Instead she told herself to focus on the heartbeats, drowning out everyone's breathing. It was still odd, since her own heartbeat was louder than everyone else's and the other three were beating entirely out of sync with each other. This… this was really trippy…

Malia chose to close her eyes to help herself focus- her eyes would be closed anyways during the lying part. It wasn't hard to concentrate on only the heartbeats, she was pretty good at focusing her ears, but it was hard to pinpoint which beat belonged to whom. So she envisioned the three sounds around her, in relation to how close she heard them, gave each heartbeat a different color. One was way off to the side so it had to be Derek, his was blue. Peter and Kira were both close to her though so it took a moment to separate the sounds, figure out which one was slightly off to the side- that was Peter, he became green. So the one in front of her was Kira, which she envisioned as orange; after that, she dimmed the blue and the green hearts, focusing only on the orange, on Kira's. She nodded when Kira's heart was the only one that she could hear, everything else drowned out.

"Alright so this is Kira's average heartbeat. It is possible to become attuned to it, where you could pick it out of a crowd but that is extremely hard to do. For now, it's only important you hear it so you can notice the changes," Peter whispered, not wanting to break her concentration. He walked over to Kira and told her to think back to her first day at Beacon Hills.

She wrinkled her nose but recalled the memory of the ride to school with her dad, remembered how the butterflies were going crazy in her stomach. Making new friends was always so hard! She allowed herself to become immersed in those memories, her heart speeding up as she envisioned herself first stepping foot in the high school, looking around at all the unfamiliar faces.

Malia listened carefully, the orange pulse of light in her mind's eye flashing quicker than before, but still quite regularly. Subconsciously she sniffed the air as well, easily picking up on Kira's scent, a light, extra scent coming off her. That must be what nervous smells like, Malia thought to herself, since just catching the scent of it brought the familiar feeling to mind. She couldn't really describe what it smelled like… just how it made her feel.

"Alright, now, Kira, I want you to tell a lie."

"Uhh... about what?"

Peter thought for a moment, having her come up with a lie off the top of her head would probably make her heart work overtime and confuse Malia. Might as well lead her into it. "Feel free to answer these however you want, let's see if Malia can pick out the lies just based on your heart. How old are you?"

"16…"

"What color is your hair?"

"Brown."

"What color are your eyes?"

"B-blue." Might as well lie for that one after two truthful answers. Malia wasn't supposed to be focusing on the questions anyways, just the way her heart spiked.

"Lie," Malia called out, easily noticing the skip. Kira really was bad at lying, her heart did more than just a tiny skip.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Um, none that I know of… Mom's old though…" Kira wrinkled her nose again, short answers were probably better. The more she talked, the more she probably skewed the results… oops.

Peter smiled to himself, maybe that was something they should ask Noshiko, if Kira had older Kitsune siblings in the world. But that was for another time. "Can you speak Japanese?"

"Fluently…"

"Lie," Malia said again. That one had been harder to pick up compared to the first but still, there had been a skip.

"How tall are you?"

"Um… six… foot?" Did that count as a lie? She hadn't been expecting that kind of question, couldn't be sure if the blip of her heart had been the same because of her moment of confusion.

Malia opened her mouth and then paused, processing what she'd heard. Kira's heart had… for lack of a better word, fumbled… it wasn't the same as when she was nervous and it was different from the other lies, but Malia was willing to bet it still counted. "Lie."

"Have we had sex?"

"What? Y-no! None at all!" Kira flushed and actually reached out the smack Peter.

Peter laughed then, breaking Malia's concentration. "I'm sorry, couldn't help myself, I was wondering if you'd tell the truth on that one or make another lie. Malia, do you think you've got a basic handle on how to detect lies? I know it was only a short experience."

"Yea, I think so. It's something I'd have to work on, like I wasn't even registering the questions, I was so focused on her heart but… I picked up every time her heart spiked. I'll just need practice on listening to both a beating heart and a conversation at the same time…" It had been so obvious though, now that she knew what to listen for. The orange light in her head stuttered a few different times, presumably when Kira was making up lies. Just small spikes, not nearly the same as if she were feeling terror but, noticeable all the same. Peter never told her that she'd gotten any wrong so she assumed she'd done well. "I also managed to pick up on her nervous scent, before you started asking questions."

"Good! I saw you sniff the air but I didn't want to distract you. Scents can be harder since there are many complex human emotions and you have to sort through how your Wolf responds to each of them. Now, ready to reverse roles?"

"Yea, this time I can also concentrate on how it feels to make a lie, like you said. That would help me really understand what I'm listening for in the future." She shook her head and relaxed, focused on just calming her heart.

It took Kira a second to re-focus her hearing but it didn't take as long as before. It helped that Malia was close by- not like that time she had to find Peter in the woods! She even managed to ignore her own heart really well, it was just on the outskirts of her mind. "Ready."

Peter started off by telling Malia to imagine taking a math test, grinning as he heard her heartbeat skyrocket- perfect example of overall nervousness. He waited a few moments for Kira to familiarize herself with it and then started asking Malia questions as well.

"Do you miss being a coyote?"

"Yes."

"Do you have your driver's license?"

"Yes." She even emphasized it with a nod of her head. Outwardly she wasn't bad at lying but she had felt the twinge in her chest just before opening her mouth.

"Lie." Kira was amazed that Malia pulled that off so well. Why was a Werecoyote better at lying than she was?!

"Is math your favorite subject?"

"No!"

Kira smiled, Malia couldn't bring herself to lie about that one.

"Do you love being out in the woods?"

"Nu-huh."

Kira didn't need to have good ears to know that one was a lie, but, of course she knew Malia fairly well. Still, she heard the telltale blip and called it out.

"Is Lydia your best friend?"

"Yup!"

"Lie again."

"Last one, do you feel like you're getting better at control?"

Malia smiled, "Yea."

Kira smiled too, feeling a little more confident in her abilities as well. "Are we going to work on more… chemo-signal stuff or maybe go back to learning how to use her Anchor?" This was really interesting to learn about but she didn't want to take up Malia's precious training time by intruding on it. She had plenty of time alone with Peter, and even her mom to train with.

"We should probably do the scent stuff now, before my Coyote gets too tired and stressed out," Malia voiced. She remembered how she felt at the end of their last session, with Peter constantly putting her Coyote on edge, over and over… If they waited until afterwards, her Coyote probably wouldn't feel up to it.

"Good suggestion, we can do that now, if Kira feels like she can pull up some strong emotions?"

"Yea, I'm sure I can, I have plenty of memories."

"Okay, go ahead and get started, let's have Malia guess what you're feeling instead of telling her outright. It's important that she understands what she's picking up from someone and if we guide her too heavily, her Coyote might not learn how to make those connections on her own."

"Right." Kira would have to practice this with her mom in the future, or even just around the Pack during the day. It would be good practice at learning how her friends were feeling… hopefully they wouldn't take it as her prying or being nosy… Anyways, emotions, time to feel emotions. She took a deep breath and went with something easy- happiness! She recalled when Peter told her that he'd train her, like really train her and not just tell her about her powers.

It didn't take long for Malia to catch the scent and she smiled too, the feelings pouring from Kira were really strong. "Very, _very_ happy, right?"

"Yea, that one was a really happy moment," Kira acknowledged. Next was embarrassment- a real easy one for her. In fact she recalled the first day of class, when her dad had just called her out on being his daughter and being totally friendless… That had been the worst! She watched as Malia wrinkled her nose, obviously not liking the feeling the chemo-signals were giving her.

"I don't… know this one, I can't… categorize it…"

"Oh, really? I didn't even think about that…" It made sense though, embarrassment wasn't really a big thing for wild animals, they cared more about survival. And Malia never had any qualms about saying what was on her mind. "But not even… when kids are making fun of you at school for not knowing math?"

"No… I don't feel… whatever this is… When I asked Stiles for a good word to describe those moments, he said that I probably felt self-conscious about not knowing the answer. He said it could come from either feeling… 'defective', or from having a lot of attention on me."

"I'm going to guess embarrassment? That's what it seemed like to me?" Peter guessed. When Kira nodded, he went on to explain, "This is a good example- to a lot of people, the two feelings generally go hand-in-hand. If you're feeling self-conscious in a situation like that, most people also feel embarrassed. But you don't. In the wild, being wrong can lead to death, so of course that feeling still makes you uneasy, even if it's over something trivial like math. But you have no use for embarrassment- humiliation or shame about yourself. Now you have a new feeling to categorize in your mind, even if you can't recall feeling that way in the past." Peter liked that Malia wasn't held back by things like embarrassment, she didn't have time for it, not really. High schoolers would eat her alive if she was embarrassed every time such attention was on her. It made sense that she hated having such attention of course, any wild animal would feel like a target in that situation. But overall, Peter liked that she didn't have too many horrible Human habits to overcome; it was easier to teach the Coyote to back off some than it was to teach the Human to accept the Animal.

"I can do self-conscious… just so you can see the difference I guess?"

Malia nodded, that would be helpful. The more feelings she experienced, the better! She breathed through her mouth for a moment, clearing out her nose of smells and giving Kira time to pull up a memory. But when she did finally smell the air, she noticed how close the two chemo-signals were, even though her Coyote hadn't recognized embarrassment. "Subtle difference, I get how they could be considered close though. Embarrassment might still be harder for me to recognize in the future, just because my Coyote doesn't really have a solid reaction to it. But now that I know what it's similar too, I'll have to remember that. I do recognize it though."

"Okay, I'll do another one… hmmm," the Kitsune took a minute to think about which emotion to focus on. Something basic, there was no need to confuse Malia just yet with the more complex emotions. Better stick with the ones she knew Malia had experience with- like anger! And all she had to do was think of Scott's accusations from the other day at lunch. Even though he had apologized, recalling his words made her so mad!

"I know that one! You're pissed- like when I fought with Liam."

"That's very good, I'm glad that you don't seem to be having a hard time with this at all. For some Weres it can be hard to really put into words what the chemo-signals are making you feel. I think all that time you spent in the woods really helped you."

"I'm better than Scott?!"

Peter shrugged, "No idea, Scott and I don't train together. I'm sure he knows what chemo-signals are, I think Derek explained it to him but I'm not certain how easy they were for him to grasp."

They all looked to Derek to see if he'd comment; he sighed when he realized they weren't just moving on. "I told him about it when Stiles went missing that one night, during the Nogitsune trouble. That had been easy though, I told him to just breathe in and tell me what he felt. Stiles had spent a lot of time up on the roof, I would've been disappointed if he hadn't gotten it. The chemosignals were really strong. Plus, he's always around Stiles, he would know Stiles's chemo-signals best. But we haven't really tested it since then… he might not practice much, and he has a different bond with his Wolf compared to me and Peter but, he's not stupid either. Just inexperienced."

"Stiles is a good person to practice scents with I think, he feels everything so strongly. I'm glad that Scott is capable, I'd feel even worse if our lives rested in his hands and he couldn't grasp something like strong scents. He probably didn't know the word for it but I'm certain his Wolf was helping him with detecting chemo-signals from the beginning, understanding and processing the signals coming off of everyone around him. It's much easier to understand when you have the word for it though."

"Yea, besides, didn't you say it was mostly harder to put it in words? Not necessarily understanding what the scents make you feel?" Kira asked.

"Exactly, the brain can have a hard time coming up with words for emotions but Scott… he's always been so pure of heart, he's never shied away from his emotions as far as I can tell. I can't imagine it would be difficult for him to recognize the emotions he's getting from a friend. Someone like Isaac would have a harder time since he's used to ignoring his emotions, blocking things out. He'd of course still feel something from the chemo-signals but he'd have a hard time explaining it to us."

Malia tilted her head, wondering why it was easy for her to put things into words… it had been a long time since she had even had Human thoughts, had used English. It was true that everything had come back to her fairly easy, enough that they allowed her into high school but, it was still surprising that her brain was good at categorizing her known emotions. "I probably have Stiles to thank for it… he's always trying to help me relate to being Human again, so he's always walking me through things like how I'm feeling or why I'm feeling a certain way. That's why I know what it means to feel self-conscious, because he told me. Otherwise I probably wouldn't be good at the 'putting it into words' part at all."

"That might be the case, Stiles does love to talk and he wants you to understand your situation. Either way, it's good for you. And if you ever have any questions about unknown scents I'm sure he'd be happy to help you figure them out as well."

"Yea," she agreed, smiling. Stiles might irritate her sometimes with his over-protectiveness but she really did appreciate him and all the things he was helping her with. And she appreciated that he wasn't afraid of her despite her past, despite knowing how easily she could hurt him. "I think I'm ready to work on my Anchor again… speaking of Stiles… he's the one I almost hurt in the loft… Control is more important right now."

Peter nodded, "If you want to put the other things on hold for now, we can spend the rest of the time working on your Anchor, I'm fine with that. You have the beginnings of understanding now, something for you to practice on your own as you learn more about how to be a Were."

Kira nodded and stepped away from them, walking over to Derek to sit on the hood of her car. "Guess that means it's time for me to go back to practicing my thing too."

"You don't sound too excited about that," he teased.

She raised her brow, surprised by his comment- Derek was always so serious! "It's just kinda boring trying the same thing over and over again… like I know that's the only way to learn how to do it but…"

"You could practice your other skills can't you?"

"Well I'd rather not just constantly hurt myself just to work on my healing… and I didn't bring my katana with me but I should practice my weapon summoning- that'd be a good one to strengthen."

"I guess it's orb training then"

"Hey, you could fight with me! I need to practice how to fight using my electricity right? I mean if we were to get attacked right now, I don't have any weapons with me. Peter said unarmed training is important too."

Derek groaned and made a face, "You do know that Wolves and electricity don't get along right?"

"Don't be such a grump Derek, you need to be training as well. If you only practice against me, you'll get stuck in a rut," Peter called out.

"I promise that I won't hurt you. I mean- I can tone down my shock output! I didn't mean… it sounded like I'm way better than you or something…" Kira hurried to clarify. That hadn't been what she'd meant to say at all!

He sighed, still not really wanting to do this but, his uncle had a point. It had been awhile since he'd done any real training. "Alright, I'll not use my claws either, those don't really look like old clothes." He might as well be fair when it came down to not hurting each other too seriously.

She looked down at herself, right… she should probably start wearing worn down clothes for this, just so her mom didn't get mad if she trashed them. "Thanks, I'd appreciate it. Claws would help with my healing but, learning how to fight first without getting hurt would be nice too." Kira squared up, letting her energy flow into her hands. She actually grinned as she realized how easy it was to pull up now- she didn't have to concentrate or psyche herself up for it like before. And if she was calm, it was much easier to keep the output low, which was important since she promised Derek she wouldn't hurt him. No need for her Release in tame situations like this- she really was getting stronger!

"And you're sure… you can do this?" Derek hedged, looking at her arms. He couldn't help but be reminded of Kate and her batons. He knew that she wasn't a Hunter, that she wasn't going to try and disable him or kill him… he just couldn't help himself, he was wary.

Kira slowly stepped forward and held out her hand, nodding for him to touch her. "It'll feel just like a static shock, enough so you know that I got you but that's it. I figure it would be the same with you 'scratching' me, I'll feel your Human nails but not really get all cut up."

Slowly Derek reached out and grabbed her wrist, jumping slightly as he felt the small shock; his body was just so tense… but he didn't let go, noticing that the shocks were small and sporadic, not constant despite the fact he was touching her.

"It'd be the same with these," Kira added on, producing a small orb in her other hand, letting it float over to him. It was strong enough to cause the hairs on his arm to stand as it floated by but then it came into contact with his skin, just a small zap before it dissipated. "I don't want to hurt my friends, even if it's supposed to be for training. I know electricity is one of the worst things for you, aside from Wolfsbane of course."

"I suppose it would be worse if you were a Kanima, you have conscious control of your abilities. Kanimas are always producing venom in their claws so any contact would cause paralysis. Alright, I'm game."

Kira nodded and stepped back again, preparing herself… she didn't really know how Derek fought so this was sure to test her abilities! The only warning she got was when he flashed his eyes at her right before charging- of course he was direct! She flipped backwards but he dodged her feet and closed the gap between them, lightly kicked at her stomach. Kira did her best to absorb the blow, reaching up to grab his ankle to 'shock' him as she flopped onto her back. He danced away from her, wanting to get away from her grasp and she jumped to her feet, shooting a small orb at him.

Derek dodged it easily, rushing forward to slash at the Fox but he paused when he noticed her smiling. He belatedly remembered how she could control the orbs, turning to see where it was but he was too slow. It flowed right into his chest as he stumbled backwards and then before he knew it Kira had jumped on his back, arms wrapped loosely around his throat.

"I think my shocks would really disable you at this point if it were a real fight, I call a win for me!"

The Were grumbled and dropped onto his back, laughing as Kira groaned, "My muscles are locked up and you're on my back, it's obvious that I'd fall this way. Gotta be prepared."

"I still win this round… wow you're heavy." Kira unwrapped her arms and pushed at his shoulders so he'd roll off her. Thank goodness there hadn't been any rocks or stumps behind them, she might really be hurting then. He had a point though, just because she had the advantage during a fight didn't mean she could let her guard down. And she knew that her smile had given her away… real fights were super tense but she couldn't help but be relaxed here. Hopefully one day she'd learn not to give her secrets away so easily.

"Okay, you win that round, I can't believe I forgot that you can still control the orbs after you send them out, they aren't like bullets… You won't catch me by surprise again."

"That's why this is good practice for you too then, you're learning how to fight a different opponent. But I can make quite a few orbs Derek, can you dodge them all forever?" Kira flung herself to the side all of a sudden, three orbs flying from her fingertips towards her 'attacker'.

Derek grumbled to himself as he ducked around the electric balls, remembering to keep an eye on his actual opponent as well. Luckily she seemed to be having fun just watching him jump around. He could tell that mock fighting was still new to her, it was dangerous to not take things seriously- that was something he'd always pounded into his Betas. Carefully he made his way closer to the Kitsune, while making it look like he was preoccupied. Then when he was a few feet away, he leapt at her suddenly, reaching for her throat. All he had to do was grab her throat before the orbs touched him and it would be a win.

Kira cried out in surprise, stumbling backwards but his hand still raked down the front of her shirt. If his claws had been out she'd be hurting pretty bad. And he didn't give her any time to collect herself, leaping forward again as his foot hit the ground. So she kicked at his wrist, figuring that she needed to go on the offensive while she still had strength; it was a little hard to really imagine how hindered she be from a wound that wasn't real though… Not that it mattered since Derek easily latched onto her ankle, his fingers digging into her skin- that would be a crushed ankle in a real fight. She dropped to the ground, knowing she was in trouble but then grinned as all three orbs finally caught up with Derek and disappeared in his body.

"Hard to say who'd win that one," he mused. This was… different. When he was training with his Betas they'd all been so easy to beat. All of their attacks had been so straight forward and transparent. Jackson as a Kanima had been a challenge of course but this was a mock-fight and Kira wasn't even taking it super seriously. This was definitely good practice for the both of them, she'd learn how to focus even for pretend fights and he'd learn more about how to fight enemies that could wield the elements.

"Yea, it would all have depended on how deep your claws went with that first swipe. I can heal pretty fast- even Peter was surprised how quickly I healed a broken wrist but, I definitely would've been affected by it for at least a few moments."

"And if your orbs were fully powered, I might not be dead right now but I'd be incapacitated for awhile, giving you time to heal."

"This is just a one-on-one fight too, I can see why practicing is the smart thing to do… I don't know how I lasted so long against the Kanima…"

"How did that fight go, Peter never really told me, just that you guys had won."

Kira sat up and started explaining it, not shying away from the fact that she'd been scratched only a few minutes into the fight, knowing that she had let herself get distracted. She knew that Derek would understand just how difficult it was to fight against a Kanima. They had all day to physically fight one another, taking a minute to discuss her previous battle would be good for her too. He was experienced, could give her pointers! While Derek helped her dissect the fight, Peter and Malia were on the other side of the yard, working on her Anchor.

He was growling low in her ear, pressing into her space, getting on her nerves basically. He wanted her mad, seeing how well she could focus on her Anchor, hold the anger at bay. Now that they had one session behind them and Malia understood things a little better, he wasn't afraid to start a fight with her. She knew that losing control was okay and that he wasn't going to attack her, even if she initiated a fight. "Can you stay in control Malia? Don't you want to hit me?" he goaded, moving around to face her. She'd already lasted longer than he thought but she had all week to really practice and get the hang of her Anchor.

She snarled and lunged at him, unable to take seeing the smirk on his face. He dodged of course, her teeth biting down on open air. The clack of her teeth helped to clear her head- just enough for her to remind herself that attacking was bad. She continued to growl but she did at least stop her hands from reaching towards him, stopped her feet from taking another step. Just ignore him, she told herself, physically shaking her head, snarling louder to try and drown out his words. She didn't even notice when Peter stopped talking, giving her enough space to calm down again, she was too busy concentrating. But when her growls finally quieted down, the only voices she heard were Kira and Derek.

"Ready to try again? You're getting better, you managed to rein yourself in mid-attack. Good job."

"It still isn't enough," Malia told him, straightening her back. "Anyone at school wouldn't have been able to dodge that, also no one at school is supposed to see my shifted form because that will bring more Hunters to Beacon Hills."

Peter chuckled, she was obviously ready to continue; she wasn't going to let him praise her half-assed attempts. Of course she knew that he was telling the truth, she'd never just stopped herself so suddenly before. It was important that even in the middle of an attack, she could overpower her Coyote for control again- that was something she hadn't really been able to do thus far. In their previous session, it always took some sort of outside action for her Human side to snap back, a command from Peter, Kira's aura, something. Peter could admire her drive though, just as long as she didn't beat herself up over it too much. So he stepped forward again, pushing her backwards with a light shove to the shoulder. Maybe some time soon they could start sparring, that would be fun.

-A few hours later-

Kira was panting, lying flat on her back… everything was sore, it wasn't fair. "I should've brought something to eat… I didn't know that I'd end up fighting with you though…" she managed to puff out between breaths.

"You can't be that out of shape…"

Kira opened her eyes and glared at him, "Not all of us spend 23 hours a day working out! We've been fighting nonstop for a few hours, I'm allowed to be tired!"

"What? I don't work out that much…" Sure he had a lot of muscle definition but that wasn't the only thing he did with his spare time.

"Please, Isaac's told us about how often he'd walk into the old station and find you doing push-ups or pull-ups… I have to sit in class for 7 hours a day."

"You train with your mom don't you?"

"Well… yea but that's with weapons. And we go slow, so Mom can actually talk to me about stuff- I'm actually learning not just going off reflexes. _The boys_ have lacrosse every day, I just sit on the bleachers with Malia and watch them…"

Derek rolled his eyes, "Well then, looks like you need to devote some more time to fighting. Although, to be fair, you're a Kitsune, you don't really have to if you'd rather spend time on your Tails."

Kira groaned as she got to her feet, soreness already fading away, arms and legs not feeling quite so jelly-like now. "I like to mix it up, if I try to study the same thing for days on end I get bored… that was why we started sparring in the first place because I didn't want to work on my next Tail. Besides, this is something I can work on with the Pack and not just sitting off to the side, alone."

"It's good to try new things so you don't get stagnant, this was good for me too, I won't lie. C'mon there's a working faucet over on the other side of the house." Derek walked across the yard, watching the other two.

Kira hurried after him, pulling her shirt over her head, really she needed to bring a bag of old clothes for this! Her shirt was all sweaty and gross now and the slight breeze felt good on her skin! As soon as Derek turned the water on, she was ducked under it, soaking her face and hair, gasping at how cold it was.

Peter made the mistake of looking over at her, gasp reaching his ears. He stood there, eyes roaming her body as she straightened and shook out her hair, she was absolutely beautiful.

Beside him, Malia tilted her head in confusion, why wasn't he yelling at her, prodding her? She had said she was ready for another round. It had been a few hours already but she was feeling really good about all this and didn't want to stop just yet. That was when she saw that he wasn't even looking at her! She didn't have time for him to be slacking off, this was her time dammit. Malia leaned back and kicked her leg out, ready to bring him back to the present. She wasn't expecting his hand to whip out and catch her ankle and she huffed, tugging on her leg.

"You project your movements too much Malia. I clearly saw what you were going to do out of the corner of my eye. Just because I'm not looking at you doesn't mean I'm an open target," Peter warned her, still looking over at Kira. And of course because they were nearby, Kira picked up on their conversation and looked over at them, waving. He grinned as she realized that she was only half dressed and spun around in a hurry, hands coming up to cover herself with her shirt. Then he grinned wider as she realized that he'd see her body before and she knew she shouldn't feel shy about it and she half turned back, acting like it was fine. He understood though, it was drilled into everyone that being half naked out in public was embarrassing, shocking, and her brain wasn't really sure which reaction was appropriate.

Kira was chewing on her lip as she shyly looked over at Peter, skin feeling warm as he looked at her. This was different from his apartment, Malia and Derek were here… Even if Derek didn't even seem to notice, Malia was getting quite upset over Peter's shift in attention. The Kitsune's eyes widened as she watched Malia kick up with her free foot, using Peter's hand as a foothold for the ankle he was still holding. She leaned back, one hand bracing herself on the ground behind her as her other foot went flying towards his face. There was no way that she'd actually kick him, Peter's hand was already reaching out to grab her, he was twisting away from the kick. Kira stared at his body as it moved so fluidly, his arm knocking her foot away, his other hand twisting the ankle in his grip, throwing it up and over her body, and then his foot kicking Malia's arm out from under her. Malia was flat on her back in an instant, air whooshing out of her lungs from the impact. She wanted to be that good one day, and if she could look even half as amazing as him, that would be more than enough.

"That was rude Malia."

"We're here to train, not for you to ogle Kira."

Peter rolled his eyes, "We've been training, for hours! I was looking away for just a few seconds, it's fine. Where'd you learn to move like that anyways?" He'd been surprised at her adaptability, when she couldn't pull her ankle free, she decided to change tactics and just charged forward with another attack. It was brilliant, something that he would do- had done before with Derek when they were younger. He hated when someone wasn't paying attention to him when they were clearly supposed to be. And fighting was all about overcoming your opponent no matter how big the disadvantage was, were traits like that inherited? He liked to think so, since meant he had a good chance of really bonding with his daughter in the future.

"I just… moved. I realized that with my leg out like that, I couldn't effectively reach you with my claws so that meant reaching out with my other leg. I needed support since both of my legs were off the ground so I just bent back and used my hand."

"That was good, really good. That ability to adapt will save you in the future. Let's go back to control though shall we?"

Malia clambered to her feet, a scowl on her face, "Sure, now you want to go back to working on my Anchor. Took you long enough."

"There is no need to be so surly Malia, if you're going to act like a petulant child then we can end the lesson now instead."

"No I just… I want to make progress and I know we'll have to stop soon anyways because of the game. I don't want them to blame you and kick you out of the Pack if they think I'm not learning fast enough."

Peter nodded at her, "I appreciate the concern but Scott isn't that kind of tyrant. As long as he's convinced you're learning he'll be happy. He's more worried that I'm teaching you bad habits, that I'll try to poison you against him so I can take over the Pack in the future. _That's_ what he's keeping an eye out for, that's what would make him kick me out of the Pack."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Scott is a good person, and he knows that you have issues with control right now. His main concern is that you're learning and begrudgingly he gave me a chance to try and teach you because he was obviously failing at it. Stiles of course doesn't trust me either but he wants the same thing, he wants you to feel secure in your abilities, even if he isn't the one helping you. So there is no need to rush through this."

Malia nodded, dusting herself off. He was right, she'd been out of line, Stiles was always telling her that she couldn't always say everything that popped into her head (he promised her that it was hard for him as well). But verbal apologies weren't really her thing, admitting that she was wrong didn't sit well with her sometimes… As she looked at the ground, she closed her eyes, concentrating, wanting to feel the Pack bond between them. She had no idea how to do it but she had to try; her Coyote reached out towards the Wolf presence coming from Peter, asking for forgiveness- it was important! She smiled as she realized what she was feeling, that she wanted to belong, be a part of the Pack for real. She needed Peter to know that she recognized she'd acted rashly and that she appreciated the time he was taking to be here. And then she felt his presence in her head again, calm and soothing, just like that first time.

"We've got time for one more," Peter told her. He was amazed at how fast she grasped her Were abilities; he hadn't taught her anything about how to communicate via their bonds, knowing that control was the most important thing. But here she was, initiating contact, actually figuring it out on her own. She was trying! He felt a sharp pang of sadness as he realized he'd missed this, missed training with Cora as a little girl, with Derek even when he was in the worst mood… And because of Talia, he never even knew he had a daughter, someone that he could've bonded with. But Talia's actions had probably saved her life, she wasn't in the house fire, wasn't known as a Hale at all, she was spared from Kate's wrath. He cleared his head as Malia nodded at him, ready; the past was in the past, nothing he could do about it now.

The Coyote was breathing through her nose, doing her best to ignore Kira and Derek… she could feel them watching her. That first day she was able to tune them out because they'd been on the other side of the yard, like earlier; now they were standing just a few yards away and they were silent. It was like they didn't want to distract her but they didn't realize that she picked up on their silence even more since that meant there was nothing for her to even try to block out. Of course they'd be watching her now that they were done, they'd want to judge her progress. Malia tried to stay calm, they were friends, not random people… it was hard though. On top of that, Peter was of course doing his part to rile her up, which was the part she was supposed to be focusing on- this wasn't how she wanted her last attempt for the day to be! Everything started to overwhelm her and she could tell that her eyes were starting to glow blue. She growled loudly, lip twitching as she fought back a fully fledged snarl; the audience, the angry words… her heart was pounding and her Coyote was trying to surface. Malia just kept trying to focus- she hadn't attacked yet, hadn't fully lost control. So Malia squeezed her eyes shut and tried to drown out his words, everyone's presence… calling up images of the forest. Her determination was so strong this time that she truly felt as though she were back in her den, back on four legs. She let the familiar surroundings soothe her, let the natural sounds fill her ears. Malia's body relaxed completely as she envisioned herself running her usual trails, not a care in the world. As she surrounded herself with the familiar territory, she subconsciously sucked in a deep breath, wanting to smell the dirt and the trees. Instead she got the strong scent of a Wolf, her eyes flying open as she scurried backwards, claws slashing out as she glanced around.

"That's a different reaction," Peter said, barely managing to dodge the unexpected attack. She had actually calmed down, wasn't growling anymore, then out of nowhere she had her claws out. Even Kira and Derek had taken a few steps forward, concerned.

"I, um… it's nothing."

Peter stared at her, "We're supposed to trust each other and I can't help teach you if you don't communicate with me. Remember, what happens here, stays here. Now why did you suddenly jump backwards?"

"I startled myself. I was able to drown out your words as I focused on my Anchor, I'm good at turning my ears down- I have to be now that I live in town with all the noise! And I'm always remembering the woods, always, I guess that's why it's a good Anchor for me, it's easy, natural."

"It worked, you stopped growling completely for a moment, even though you'd been on the verge of lashing out at me. That's good. What happened?"

Malia sighed and slowly walked closer to him again. "It's like I was back in the woods, I really felt like I was a coyote again. I took a deep breath, just wanting to feel that freedom. And instead I smelled a threat- you. The overwhelming scent of Wolf, because you were so close. So I reacted, distancing myself from the scent while trying to orient myself at the same time. I completely forgot that I was here, with others, as a Human…"

"That's not a bad thing. That means that we did indeed find a great Anchor for you. We just need to work on calibrating it. For now, I'd rather your Anchor works too well than not well enough. And a strong immersion like that will be great for the full moon. In the future you probably won't need to concentrate so hard and then you won't be caught off-guard by your real world surroundings."

"Yea, if something like that had happened at school, I could've hurt someone. At the very least my secret would be out and we'd have to deal with that…" Malia clenched her fists, pressuring herself to do better.

"I think once you reach the point where you can keep your Anchor on the forefront of your mind but also keeping your eyes open, that will help your brain realize you aren't actually in the woods."

She rolled her eyes, "That's basically what I was trying to do all today. If my eyes are open I just can't concentrate!"

"I think Peter meant that it should be your goal, not something you need to be doing right _now_ ," Kira called out. It wasn't difficult to see how hard she was pushing herself and Kira wanted her friend to know that it wasn't necessary. "By all means, try to keep calm with your eyes open but if you feel yourself starting to shift, close your eyes and just drown everything out like you just did. _Eventually_ you'll be able to do it with your eyes open."

"What's frustrating is that I did it already! In History, when I got called on and I had to look through the book… I was able to mostly focus on my Anchor but a part of my brain was scanning through the book looking for the words Gettysburg Address… But I was only anxious then, since I knew people were all looking at me. With my lessons here, I'm usually fighting past my anger and I can't concentrate! Scott always makes it sound so easy!"

Peter stepped up and flicked her on the forehead, "Stop being so hard on yourself! We've already established that your experience is nothing like Scott's. So stop trying to compare your progress to what you've heard about his experience. Since we've started working together, have you shifted at school?"

"No, I've come really close but… no."

"Now compare how stressed you get at school with how stressed I make you during our lessons."

Malia nodded her head, "There's a big difference."

"So it makes complete sense that you have a higher fail rate out here than at school. Remember, my goal is to make you lose control out here. The goal is to have you out of control and then the Human half of you gains back control over the Coyote. That process is so much harder but so much more important. At school you are the Human half maintaining control so the Coyote half doesn't come out at all, that's the difference. All of this is to reassert the Human half as in control now, remember?"

"Right, we're reconditioning me." Malia closed her eyes again and remembered everything they talked about during her first lesson. She hasn't fully lost control to her Coyote yet, every time she'd shifted at school, she was still aware of her actions. She just couldn't un-shift right away which was a problem. This wasn't like what Scott felt at all, it was different which meant she had to do things differently than Scott. Just then she remembered how she'd taken a moment to soothe the Coyote last time. "I think…"

Peter tilted his head, waiting for her to find the right words.

"What we're doing now is helping- a lot! You've taught me a lot about how to utilize an Anchor, even helped me figure out one that would work. School's a lot easier now. But I remember something I did that first day, I can't believe I forgot, never tried it again. Can we try something else before we call it a day?"

"Yea of course."

"Help me figure out how to talk to my Coyote. I did it before but I was just kinda improvising."

"Well you improvised using the Pack bond too and that worked- amazingly well I might add. It took me by surprise. I think that's a good idea though, maybe even Kira can help, she has practice in communicating with her Fox Spirit."

Kira nodded and scooted closed to the pair of them, shirt back on. "Yea, I can't imagine that it would be much different for me than for you guys."

"Yea, I think if I learn how to just communicate with her better, it will help with this reconditioning thing. That way I'm not being like Scott, just exerting control over her, I'm working with her, like you and Derek."

Peer smiled, "I'm glad you remembered the difference. You're a Hale, at least by blood, and that counts as for a lot. The least I can do is help you have a symbiotic relationship with your Coyote like a real Hale. What exactly did you do before? I'd rather build on your previous attempt than try to confuse you by teaching you another way."

"Well, I closed my eyes and I focused on her, I can feel her inside of me. Like there is a distinct part of me that feels different. So I concentrated on that part of me and just reminded myself that I didn't need to feel threatened, to trust me, and to just stay calm."

"Good, like talking to a friend, that's the best way to do it. That's how I have Kira thinking of hers too. Now the trouble will be opening up that connection when she isn't 'awake' and on the edge of your awareness. It is possible that when you try to talk to her, she'll 'wake up' and try to assume control, like you're bringing her to the forefront for a reason. So keep that in mind. When I was first learning how to really communicate with my inner self, I'd look in the mirror and flash my eyes. That was something that I could do with very little effort and it would help me visualize my Wolf side."

"A lot of it kinda feels like you're just talking to yourself but at the same time, inside your mind you know that you're focusing on something specific so you… aren't just talking to yourself…" Kira added on. "That sounded better in my head…"

Malia shook her head, "No, I get what you mean, it is a lot like when I'm just thinking in my own head about stuff. But it is different somehow. So I can just, find a way to focus on my Coyote half so that way she knows that I'm trying to communicate with her and then just… tell her what I'm feeling?"

"Yea, pretty much. The more you do that, the easier it will be for the two halves to understand each other. Not every situation is dangerous, not every situation needs claws and fangs to deal with. But on the flip side, you can also use this method to listen as well. The Coyote can share feelings with you, they won't be verbal though, it's all instinctual but you'll still be able to understand. As long as she feels like you accept her, the two of you can work in tandem."

"I'll be able to use things like my listening and my sense of smell more naturally? Like instead of focusing on it?"

"Correct. For example, she starts to understand your connection with Stiles a bit better, understands the Human feelings that are connected with him. Then she'll be 'aware' when you're around him, checking his scent, his heartbeat, all that. You won't have to be consciously aware of it but if something is ever wrong with Stiles, she'll alert you to it."

"I still need to work on that part," Kira admitted. "I'm good at communicating with the Fox Spirit in specific circumstances but not just on day-to-day things… I feel like we are still pretty separate now that I really think about it. I know, technically we are separate," she said, seeing the look on Peter's face, "But I should still be able to do some of the stuff you're talking about right? Where she can subconsciously be helping me, keeping an eye on my surroundings and stuff."

"Yea, you can learn to do stuff like that as well, fair point. It would actually be easier for you, since you are separate entities, she can do those things without your conscious awareness. For us, technically we are aware of it but over time we can dull our awareness of it, learn to only notice meaningful differences in our daily routines. Maybe that's something the two of you can work on together, just in case Malia has some control issues at first. Scott would be pissed if I let her go off on her own and then something happened."

"Yea, better to be safe," Kira agreed.

Malia shrugged, if that's what they wanted to do. She figured that Scott would've eased up by now but apparently old grudges were hard to move past for 'regular' people. It wasn't affecting her practice so she wouldn't make a big deal about it. "So, any pointers?"

Peter motioned for both girls to sit as he started talking, "The key thing to do is to always remember that the Coyote, or Fox Spirit, has instincts and feelings that might differ from your own. They are a part of you but at the same time, it helps to think of them as a slightly separate entity from yourself. It helps to keep things simple, don't try to 'explain' complex things to them- they think pretty primitively. "

"So don't think in words?" Malia asked.

"Yea. That sounds hard but you've already done it a few times and it'll get easier. As will the listening part; if you start to understand them better, you'll know which feelings mean what." Peter knelt down in front of them, "Usually I have something specific in mind when I need to have a sit-down with my Wolf so I just open a line of communication and go from there."

Kira closed her eyes as he continued to explain things to Malia; since she had a little more practice than her friend, she figured she didn't have to listen to every word. Instead she decided to start practicing; for Kira she chose to visualize her aura. The aura was a representation of her Fox Spirit, to Kira her orange eyes were more of a reminder that she wasn't totally Human. It would probably work for Malia of course, but she was different, a Werecoyote. It didn't take long for Kira to feel the other presence inside her wake up, the aura in her mind shimmering brightly. She focused on thoughts of her latest Tail, the small orbs that needed to be hornets. Her frustration came to the surface as she thought of them, then confusion. She was asking her Fox Spirit why she was having such a hard time- her first three Tails were so easy! It was hard for her to believe that she was getting stuck all of a sudden, especially since Peter said that she could earn Tails as fast as she could learn them. So why was this Tail giving her so much trouble?

In her mind's eye she noticed the Fox Spirit shake her head, felt a calming vibe fill her mind. Not every Tail was so easily mastered, even if they seemed 'simple'. The aura shimmered and grew, arcs of lightning shooting off here and there… Kira was having trouble controlling her voltage, electricity was tricky. Kira frowned at that, she was great at not shocking others! She sparred with Derek for quite a few hours today without hurting him, and when she was with Peter, he promised that she wasn't hurting him… But she also remembered what Peter had told her, that it was much easier to lower the power to a large orb than to pack a lot of power into a very small orb. The Fox Spirit sent out more calming vibes, it was nothing to worry about; learning took time, it was nothing to be ashamed of. Even the Fox Spirit could admit that she was pretty powerful and that might be giving Kira a hard time. For her previous Tails, it had helped- learning how to heal came easily once she learned how to unlock that power, learning how to summon her sword to her, also easy. Even producing FoxFire was easy when it flowed from her body so readily. But trying to transform her electricity into hornets required a lot of finesse that she didn't quite have yet.

'Okay, so what should I be working on then…?' Kira mentally asked. She thought of the list that Peter had given her… she'd learned 3 of her fundamental Tails, the animal summoning was the 4th on the list, which apparently the Fox Spirit was telling her to skip for now. There was illusions and dream manipulation as well but neither of those seemed to be easy. If anything they would require focus which… with everything going on with Liam and Malia, Kira wasn't sure if she could dedicate time to. Plus she wanted to put in practice time with the Pack too, so they'd all grow stronger. Kira was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the Fox Spirit trying to get her attention right away, not until the aura started to glow brightly- right, she was supposed to be listening too!

Once more she watched as the lightning built up around the aura, then the aura sucked all that energy inside. Kira tilted her head, what exactly was she being shown? Kira had a fairly good grasp on that sort of control… but before she could question anything further, a sudden energy blast exploded outward, so strong that Kira physically jumped, her eyes flying opening as she was thrown out of her own thoughts.

Peter stopped midsentence and gently touched Kira's knee, "Are you okay? What just happened?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," she mumbled, heart racing. That had been intense, unlike anything she'd seen before! It only took her a moment to understand what it was that her Fox Spirit had shown her, the shockwave Tail. Kira smiled to herself, she hadn't thought she'd be ready for an Elemental Tail for awhile but if her Fox Spirit thought so, she'd be willing to try it!

"Kira?" Peter pressed, it wasn't like her to not give him a straight answer. She seemed okay but he knew that she'd been talking with her spiritual companion and it was odd to see her jump back to focus so suddenly.

She blinked, "Sorry, it's nothing bad, I promise. I… asked a question and got an answer, I was just surprised. I'll tell you more about it later, Malia's still trying to focus."

"No… it isn't working… I can already tell," Malia huffed. "Not the directions, I know that will help me talk with the Coyote but right now she isn't… 'listening' or something. I think it'll only work when she's more awake and I'll have a specific thing to talk with her about. Right now it's just… quiet."

"Are you sure you want to call it quits? It's possible that after all the training we've done, I'm sure the Coyote is resting now. You clearly aren't in danger any more, aren't getting riled up, I guess it really isn't too surprising that you're having a harder time."

Malia nodded, "I don't want to push it. I want to see Stiles before he heads off to school for the game anyways so I should head back."

Peter agreed, glad that Malia wasn't going to try and push herself too hard. Plus she'd probably want some time to herself to go over everything in case Stiles asked her questions. "Alright, I'll see you at the game then." He waited until she walked over to the faucet to get some water and then turned to Kira, "So, what exactly happened?"

"I was feeling frustrated about the Tail I'm working on. The other three came really easy so I didn't understand why this one was so hard. I got the first part down okay, the instructions part… as long as I keep it all simple. Turns out, I just don't have enough… fine-tuned control just yet, not for all the power I have. The Fox Spirit suggested I learn something else instead."

"And what would that be?"

Kira smiled, "The thunder shockwave."

"That's actually fitting. You have a lot of power built up inside you, that kind of Tail should be easy for you to tap into. I'm glad she was able to point that out to you; there's no point in struggling when you can be focusing your efforts elsewhere." Peter pulled her into a hugged, nosing her damp hair. He'd spent a lot of time with Malia today and hadn't really had a chance to watch her kick Derek's ass. Dating a high schooler was harder than he thought it would be, especially now that he was also trying to teach his estranged daughter more about her abilities. Peter sighed to himself, and there was still Liam to worry about!

"You okay?" Kira asked quietly.

"It's been so long since I've really been a part of the Pack, I'm so used to just being on my own… that I forgot how much time it can take up… I don't want things to go back to the way they were but, I also wish I had more time to spend with you."

"Well, since I'm also in school for 8 hours a day and I have homework… that kinda eats into our available time together."

Peter sighed again, "Exactly. And I was just thinking about Liam… Plus, there's still the one other Packmate that I need to fix things with."

Kira knew he was talking about Lydia. He had apologized but they both knew it wasn't really enough; she had a lot of healing left to do. But Peter was trying now and he didn't want to mess up again, so that meant he wanted to do something else for her. "I know she doesn't want to really be around you right now, it's still too early but… you aren't the only one that can teach her about being a Banshee, right?" She was taken by surprise when he suddenly kissed her.

"You may be onto something there. I was too focused on what _I_ could do, but there might be a way I can help without really being involved. Thank you my love." He kissed her again, feeling much better than he had just moments ago.

Kira smiled to herself, even as Malia started pulling her back to the car. She wished she could stay but she'd be seeing Peter again at the game, and maybe even tomorrow too! Right now Malia was too eager to get home and wasn't in the mood to be ignored.

As the girls left, Peter walked over to Derek, wanting to get his thoughts on everything. "So, how do you think Malia is doing?"

"Very well, all things considered. She loses control a lot here but you know how to push her buttons. Lydia told me that she hasn't had to warn her about her shifting during class lately. That's a major improvement over the last few days. And now that she's figuring out how to communicate with her inner Coyote I think things will click for her," he answered.

Peter looked down at his nails, hiding his grin from view; it seemed like his nephew talked to Lydia quite often. Maybe his new plan would be even easier to implement than he thought. But he wasn't ready to bring that up just yet so he stayed focused on the afternoon session. Besides, he wanted to hear more about how his Mate was doing, "Kira getting better too isn't she?"

"She doesn't know how to take sparring seriously yet but yea, she's come a long way too. Three Tails already with great control of her FoxFire. Considering that when she first came to Beacon Hills, she didn't even know what she was? That's huge progress. I know part of it has to do with the fact that she's a Kitsune and that certain types of fighting come naturally to her but, still, she's learning quickly. I don't want to know just what a Kitsune like Noshiko is capable of…" The Nogitsune had been powerful but he had a feeling that even he had been weakened after all that time trapped as a fly beneath the Nemeton. Noshiko hadn't been weakened at all until she started sacrificing her Tails, she must've been a force to reckon with.

Peter couldn't help but chuckle at his nephew, "Kira might not take sparring seriously but she still kicked your ass didn't she? I may have been working with Malia but I was listening to the fighting. How's it feel, that an inexperienced Kitsune could still kick your ass? Told you- you're getting rusty."

Derek snarled and flashed his eyes, "She just has abilities I'm not used to fighting!"

"Someone's touchy. Don't worry, I won't tell Lydia about the hit to your ego." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Peter took off running. Derek always hated to be teased, it was the one thing that could always push him over the edge. Now that Peter was becoming a more integrated part of the Pack, he was starting to feel more relaxed, especially around Derek. Things weren't back to the way they were but they were a lot closer than a few months ago. Perhaps hanging out with someone as cheerful as Kira was helping change his disposition as well, just a bit. Peter smiled to himself as he ran through the woods, Derek right behind him. After this, he'd bring up his plan, once he wore Derek down a little bit.


End file.
